Real Madrid beat Manchester United to lift UEFA Super Cup

Real Madrid have won the UEFA Super Cup after a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in Skopje.

Madrid took a one-goal lead into half time through Casemiro and Isco got a second shortly after the restart. Romelu Lukaku pulled one back but Madrid survived a late onslaught to win the trophy.

Gareth Bale nearly opened the scoring after just three minutes but he sent the ball wide from Marcelo’s corner.

Madrid threatened from another corner soon after but Casemiro’s header rebounded off the crossbar.

Isco dominated proceedings, finding pockets of space to set up attacks. He combined with Karim Benzema but his curling effort went wide of the target.

Madrid began to dominate and took the lead after 24 minutes. A poor clearance fell to Dani Carvajal whose defence-splitting pass found Casemiro to place the ball into the bottom corner.

It could have been 2-0 five minutes later when Bale put the ball in but the assistant referee’s flag was up for offside.

United made a rare foray into the Madrid half but Ander Herrera’s free kick was wasted.

Paul Pogba then missed the target before Herrera’s shot was saved by Keylor Navas.

Benzema forced David de Gea into a diving save before Lukaku’s header nestled into Navas’ arms on the verge of half time.

Madrid were still on top after the restart and Toni Kroos’ long-range effort forced a brilliant diving save from De Gea.

Marcelo then found space in the box but his shot was blocked by Chris Smalling.

Isco doubled Madrid’s lead in the 52nd minute. He exchanged passes with Bale before placing the ball behind De Gea into the bottom corner.

United should have pulled a goal back with their next attack. First Pogba’s header was parried by Navas before Romelu Lukaku shot over the crossbar.

The frame of the goal then saved United when Bale broke down the right. He unleashed a thunderbolt towards goal but the ball rattled the crossbar.

United clawed their way back into the match just a minute later. Navas parried Nemanja Matic’s shot into the path of Lukaku to finish from close range.

The Red Devils had been second best throughout the match but finished in the ascendancy. Marcus Rashford’s free kick was cleared before Marouane Fellaini headed over the bar.

Substitute Rashford should have equalised in the final ten minutes when he was put through one-on-one by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The shot was pushed away by the onrushing Navas though.

Navas pulled off a fantastic save in stoppage time to keep out Fellaini’s header, before Marcos Asensio’s shot at the other end was kept out.

Real Madrid held firm to against a final United onslaught to lift the UEFA Super Cup.

Jose Mourinho by Ronnie Macdonald used under license by CC BY 2.0.

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