2019 UEFA Super Cup: Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to win 4th title

Liverpool defeated Chelsea 5-4 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in regulation time to win their fourth UEFA Super Cup.

After a cagey opening half-hour in Istanbul, Olivier Giroud opened the scoring for Chelsea against the run of play when he latched on to a pass from the left and beat the Liverpool keeper Adrian from an acute angle.

Minutes earlier the Frenchman had spurned a similar opportunity when he drilled his effort wide of the far post.

Giroud rejoices after his opener in Istanbul

Liverpool sought an immediate response but it was Chelsea who had the ball in the net again when Christian Pulisic broke down the left flank off a counter-attack, cut inside a defender and put the ball past the Liverpool custodian.

However, Chelsea's joy was shortlived as VAR rightly adjudged the American winger to have been marginally offside when he received the ball, ruling out the goal.

Liverpool improved after half time and Sadio Mane conjured an equaliser three minutes into the second half.

Mane responds with a close-range effort for Liverpool

Chelsea withdrew their goal scorer, Giroud, and Pulisic midway through the second half for youngsters Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount respectively. Mount thought he had grabbed the lead for the Blues six minutes from time when he produced a fine low left-footed finish that beat Chelsea's Spanish keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The Blues' joy was cut short for the second time in the match though as Mount's effort was ruled out due to offside.

Mohamed Salah had opportunities to win the game for Liverpool at the other end when his curling goal-bound free-kick was headed clear by the Chelsea wall. The Egyptian striker had another shot at glory but couldn't conjure a touch to a flashing ball across the face of the Chelsea goal in what turned out to be the last kick of the game in regulation time.

For the second year in a row, the Super Cup would need extra time to separate the two finalists.

After the restart, the duo of Roberto Firmino and Mane were at it again for Liverpool. The Brazilian threaded a perfectly weighted cut-back which the impressive Mane lifted into the top right corner for a sumptuous first-time finish.

Liverpool were in the lead for the first time in the match. However, that lead would last for only five minutes as the Reds keeper Adrian brought down Tammy Abraham inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot after a VAR referral.

Jorginho stepped up to produce a nerveless penalty which beat Adrian to his left, putting Frank Lampard's men back on level terms.

Jorginho restores parity for Chelsea from the spot

Jurgen Klopp responded to Chelsea's equaliser by withdrawing a disappointed looking Mane for Divock Origi.

The game began to open up with opportunities presenting themselves at both ends.

Pedro fed Abraham with a neat cross only for the Chelsea youngster to shoot wide from close range. Liverpool defender Joel Matip then went on a marauding run down the centre and found Wijnaldum but the opportunity went begging as the midfielder failed to control the ball.

There were to be no further goals in the game and for the first time in six years a penalty shootout was needed to decide the Super Cup winner.

1. Firmino stepped up for Liverpool and coolly drilled the ball to the right of the Chelsea keeper. Jorginho replied with an identical effort for Chelsea. 1-1.
2. Fabinho beat Arrizabalaga to his left before Barkley restored parity for the Blues. 2-2
3. Liverpool moved into the lead again courtesy substitute Divock Origi's effort but Mason Mount responded by drilling the ball into the top left corner. 3-3
4. Trent Alexander-Arnold stepped up and scored only for Emerson to do the same for Chelsea and make it 4-4.
5. Salah made it a perfect 5 out of 5 for Liverpool before Tammy Abraham's weak penalty down the centre was kept out by the Liverpool keeper as Chelsea came up second best in yet another Super Cup.