Publications
Partners
Trondheim - A superb solo goal by Dani Carvajal just before the end of extra time gave Real Madrid a 3-2 victory over 10-man Spanish rival Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday.
Madrid, the Champions League winners in May, took the lead in the 21st minute through Marco Asensio against a Sevilla side that lifted the Europa League trophy for a third straight time last season.
Sevilla hit back with an equalizer from Franco Vazquez and a second-half penalty from Yevhen Konoplyanka that looked to have sealed Europe's pre-season showcase match.
But captain Sergio Ramos leveled for Madrid in the third minute of stoppage time and Sevilla defender Timothee Kolodziejczak was sent off at the start of extra-time, before Carvajal went on a run from the halfway line to score the winner in the 119th minute.
"The essence of Real Madrid is that we never give up," Carvajal said.
"A goal after the 90th minute and another one at the end of the added period make us champions."
While Zinedine Zidane became the fifth coach to win the trophy also as a player, his milestone spoiled the competitive debut of counterpart Jorge Sampaoli at his new club.
A new-look Sevilla side that has lost Kevin Gameiro, Gregorz Krychowiak and Ever Banega during the off-season fell to the Champions League winner for the third straight season. In a cup match that has been dominated by Spanish sides in recent years, Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 two years ago before Barcelona also needed added time to prevail 5-4 last year.
"It's unbelievable that the match got away from us," Sevilla defender Nico Pareja said.
"We deserved to win. We played better and in one detail it slipped away."
With star forward Cristiano Ronaldo injured, Gareth Bale not in the squad, and Karim Benzema only fit to play the last half hour, Madrid had to turn to a pair of defenders and a youngster making his first appearance in European competition for its goals.
Helping to fill in for a Madrid side that was also missing Toni Kroos from midfield, 20-year-old Asensio staked his claim to a spot with Zidane's team with an exquisite left-foot shot from outside the area that dipped just in time to squeeze inside the woodwork.
Sevilla, however, held firm and responded through Vazquez, who slotted the ball inside the far post when it fell to him in the area four minutes before halftime.
The stalemate lasted until Victor "Vitolo" Machin was brought down by Ramos inside the box in the 72nd minute, allowing Konoplyanka to roll his spot kick into the corner while goalkeeper Kiko Casilla went the wrong way.
Sevilla appeared to have the elusive trophy in hand until Ramos came through in heroic fashion, similar to his headed goal that sent the 2014 Champions League final into extra-time before Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1.
The Spain center-back made up for conceding the penalty by joining the fray in front of the goalmouth, where he nodded home Lucas Vazquez's cross with seconds remaining in stoppage time.
"I was lucky enough to level the match, but the team showed it can rise above any injuries, and our young players really gave it their all," Ramos said.
