Real too classy for United to lift fourth Super Cup
Manchester United were outclassed at times as Real Madrid won the Uefa Super Cup last night to give Jose Mourinho food for thought at the start of his second season in the hot seat.
Sweltering Skopje bore witness to an entertaining meeting of these European giants in the annual clash of the Champions League and Europa League winners.
Casemiro and Isco gave Real Madrid back-to-back Super Cup triumphs, running out 2-1 victors despite Romelu Lukaku’s first competitive goal for United at least giving the Macedonia encounter a tense finale.
The Red Devils started brightly enough as they looked to win the competition for just the second time, only for a promising start to peter out as Zinedine Zidane’s side flexed their muscles.
Casemiro’s header off the crossbar was a warning shot that Mourinho’s men failed to heed as the impressive Brazilian tucked home a fine Dani Carvajal pass as offside appeals were ignored.
Isco turned home after United’s defence was split open and Gareth Bale rattled the crossbar as Madrid continued in the ascendancy after the break, before Lukaku atoned for a poor earlier miss by scoring from close range.
Substitute Marcus Rashford and goalkeeper David De Gea impressed as United fought valiantly for an equaliser that would elude them at the Philip II National Arena, where manager Mourinho’s former side held on for their fourth Super Cup, second only to their bitter rivals Barcelona and AC Milan, who each have five.
Defensive absentees undoubtedly hurt United, but the work facing Mourinho was underlined. The Portuguese is still hoping to make one more summer addition and admitted in the build-up that he would “fight” for Bale if Zidane chose against using him in the Super Cup.
However, the Wales international started and came close to opening the scoring early on after Paul Pogba let a deflected Marcelo cross loop over him.
Real’s Casemiro met a corner with a thumping header that rattled the crossbar but was not to be denied for long.
Carvajal showed excellent vision to clip a pass over to Brazilian. Casemiro, who slid a first-time shot past De Gea.
United’s Spanish keeper’s exceptional one-handed stop then prevented Toni Kroos from making matters worse.
The second goal arrived in the 52nd minute as Isco played a lovely one-two with Bale, and coolly curled the ball in.
Marouane Fellaini joined half-time introduction Rashford on the field as Mourinho looked to turn things around, but at the other end Luka Modric had an effort before Bale smashed the underside of the bar.
A gaffe by Navas allowed United to pull one back. The Real keeper was unable to deal with a Nemanja Matic drive and Lukaku pounced.
That led to a thrilling finish and a fine Henrikh Mkhitaryan pass put through Rashford, who was denied by Navas.
Zidane turned to Cristiano Ronaldo as United continued to push for a leveller, with Fellaini seeing a header saved before Marco Asensio was denied superbly by De Gea.