Adrian the hero in penalty drama
● Debutant keeper makes shootout save that clinches Super Cup glory for Klopp’s side
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Liverpool claimed their fourth Super Cup last night, but it took them until nearly 1am in Istanbul before they got the better of Chelsea in a penalty shootout. The match was 1-1 at 90 minutes, 2-2 after 120, and it took the last of the regulation ten spot-kicks to separate the sides.
Adrian was the hero on his first start for Liverpool, getting an outstretched foot to Tammy Abraham’s penalty. His opposite number Kepa had twice got a strong hand to Liverpool efforts – but not strong enough to make a difference.
On the eve of the match, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had said that N’golo Kante had picked up another small injury at the weekend, implying the midfielder might sit this one out. But Kante started after all, although weirdly, he lined up on the right of the midfield three, leaving Jorginho as the defensive screen. It was precisely what Chelseafanshadderidedmaurizio Sarri for the whole of last season.
Kante was, nonetheless, exceptional. Nicking the ball early on from a swiftly advancing Jordan Henderson who tried to go round him on the edge of Chelsea’s penalty area, he then turned defence into attack via a Fabinho nutmeg. He was at it again a little later with a nutmeg on James Milner.
Even not in his favoured position, as he increasingly finds himself, Kante remains one of the best players on the pitch every time, and it was his good work which set in motion the opening goal. He drove through midfield with the ball before passing to Christian Pulisic. Under pressure from Fabinho, Pulisic played a ball through Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip with the precision of a brain surgeon, so that all Olivier Giroud — running in from the left — had to do was slot the ball past Adrian.
It was no less than they deserved by half-time, and could’ve been more. Pulisic had what would’ve been a superb first Chelsea goal ruled out for offside, having ran too early down the left flank before outsmarting Adrian with a finish into the bottom left corner.
Pedro also smashed one off the crossbar, Chelsea having again attacked down the left-hand side, taking advantage of Jurgen Klopp resting the immense Trent Alexander-arnold and playing Joe Gomez, more comfortable as a centre-back, instead. Adrian also had to smother Mateo Kovacic as he ran on to clip through from Pedro.
If looks could kill, the entire Liverpool starting 11 would not have made it back onto the pitch after the break. Manager Klopp looked at his players as they went off as though they had spat on his grandma.
As it was, Alex Oxladechamberlain, making his first start since injuring his knee 16 months ago against Roma, was the only member of the party not to return. On came Roberto Firmino, who made an instant impact after less than three minutes: Fabinho clipped a ball over the top, the Brazilian cleverly, unselfishly flicked it across to Sadio Mane, pictured, as Kepa came out and the Senegalese levelled.
Liverpool were transformed with Firmino and were it not for an immense double save by Kepa from first Mohamed Salah and then Van Dijk they would’ve taken the lead with 15 minutes remaining. The Reds did take the lead early in extra time and it was Mane again. Firmino broke clear down the left and cut the ball back for the forward to side-foot the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty shortly afterwards when Adrian was adjudged to have brought down substitute Abraham. Jorginho, or Jorghino as his name read on the back of his shirt, stroked the ball home to make it 2-2. That was the last real chance in the 120 minutes.
The first nine penalties in the shootout all counted, then Abraham was the fall guy, his spot-kick being saved by Adrian. With a league match at Southampton on Saturday, it remains to be seen how much this has taken out of Klopp’s squad.