Chelsea 2 Bayern Munich 2 (4-5 on penalties)

Last updated : 30 August 2013 By Paul Lagan

Chelsea suffered European heartache tonight as they lost the Super Cup on penalties after extra-time against Champions League winners Bayern Munich At the Eden Arena in Prague


The Blues twice took the lead through Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard but were pegged back on both occasions, the second time, five seconds from the end of extra-time.
To add to the remarkable occasion, Chelsea had to play a proportion of the game with 10 men as Ramires was sent off.
It was a rearguard action for most of the night, but the best chances went to the Londoners.
David Luiz, Oscar, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole all scored their penalties as did Bayern who hit successfully all of their five, but Lukaku fluffed his audition.
Mandzukic had first chance on three minutes, but his header, was of no trouble to Petr Cech.
Eden Hazard had a half-hearted right-footer on six minutes, which went well wide of Neuer goal.
Ribery, inspired by Arjen Robben shot wide a minute later.
But it was the Blues who opened the scoring on eight minutes, when Hazard's mazy run thought the centre of they pitch saw the ball fed wide to the right to Andre Schurrle.
The German cut the ball across goal and Fernando Torres, without having to think, smashed a blistering right-footer past Neuer.
Lahm saw a half-volley 10 yards out well saved by Cech as the Champions League winners sought an instant reply.
The Blues should have doubled their lead on 17 minutes when a quick counter-attack, which saw four Chelsea players against three Bayern saw Torres on the ball.
This time, the Spain striker had time to think and failed miserably - caught between a cross and a shot, his effort curled wide of Neuer's goal.
Cech, was at his best on 22 minutes when Ribery, on the edge of the Chelsea area, curled a low right-footer towards goal, but Cech dived expertly to his right and tipped the ball around his right post for a corner.
The French winger was the first to enter referee Jonas Eriksson's book for a foul on Oscar a minute later.
Torres had another chance with 15 minutes of the half remaining. With echoes of Geoff Hurst's controversial goal in the 1966 World Cup Final against West Germany, Torres turned and shot, from Alan Ball's right wing cross, - actually Schurrle's, but you get my meaning.
However, unlike Hurst's effort, which crashed off the crossbar and over/on the line, Torres's went high over the crossbar - much to the relief of the Germans.
Perhaps Ribery is wearing two left boots as that can be the only explanation why he curled his third effort wide of goal on 35 minutes.
Gary Cahill was quick to block Tomas Muller's first-time strike from a pass by Robben as the Germans looked to capitalise on their dominant possession.
Cahill received a yellow after clashing with Muller as the clock ticked down to the break.
A deflected shot by Robben was the last action of the half, as Cech smothered the left-footed drive from the ex-Chelsea man.
No changes in personnel from either side during the half-time break.
But the Blues blew it within 180 seconds.
After failing to talk advantage of a breakaway, Chelsea gave possession away cheaply. Ribery took full advantage and let fly from 20 yards which zipped past Cech and his right post to level the match.
Robben almost put the Germans ahead on 55 minutes when a Ribery free-kick found the Holland winger free, in the box, but he could scoop the ball over the bar following a challenge by Ashley Cole.
Javi Martinez made way for Rafinha a minute later as Bayern took completed control of the game.
With Chelsea's mindset focused on counter-attack, the flip side,of that is they need the ball to counter with. Bayern, like Barcelona are masters of keeping possession.
Even when the crew from SW6 had the ball, they inevitably gave it away.
Perhaps the only chance would come from a Bayern error and it duly came on 63 minutes when Dante slipped, on the edge of the Bayern area. Schurrle raced in, passed to Oscar but the Brazil midfielder fluffed his lines from close range and allowed Neuer to kick the ball away. Lampard picked up a half-volley but arrowed the ball over the bar.
Ramires and David Luiz both got quick yellow cards for fouls as the game became a tad tetchy.
Hazard controlled a wonderful long pass but his shot was weak and saved.
Oscar then had a shot deflected as the Blues found their second wind to trouble the Germans.
Mario Gotze entered the fray at the expense of Muller with 20 minutes remaining.
The Blues still looked capable of breaching the German defence and Branislav Ivanovic did just that, rattling the Bayern crossbar after Luiz headed on Lampard's corner on 79 minutes.
Tony Kroos saw a shot deflected off Luiz and loop over Cech but fortunately for the Londoners also Cech's crossbar.
Jerome Boateng upended Oscar and became the German's second yellow card.
Luiz should have scored from the resultant free-kick as Neuer saved at his near post.
Then 30 seconds later, on 85 minutes, disaster struck for the Blues as Ramires was sent off for a second yellow card offence.
Jose Mourinho responded to going down to 10 men by bringing on John Obi Mikel for Schurrle.
Torres then got a yellow with a minute to go, presumably for dissent.
With no more chances for either side the game headed into extra-time.
With everyone expecting Chelsea to sit back and defend, they promptly started the restart on the front foot.
Hazard, on 93 minutes popped up of the left, cut inside two Bayern defenders and in unleashed a rasping right-footer that left Neuer flat-footed and the ball zipped into his net.
It was the end of Robben's night as her was replaced by Xherdan Shaqiri.
Torres's huff and puff night coupled with brilliant goal ended with a substitution, Romelu Lukaku came on on 97 minutes.
The Belgium, naturally got a yellow card for a foul less than 60 seconds later.
Bayern had a halfhearted claim for a penalty when Ribery fell over in the Chelsea penalty area seconds into the restart of the final 15 minutes of extra time.
Cech produced sensational saves from from header off Mandzukic and Martinez as Bayern sought the decisive strike to level the match.
But the Blues held firm, resolute in defence with two banks of four protecting the goalkeeper.
Quite how Martinez missed was beyond all the 100s of Chelsea fans, in the Eden Arena but his did from close range. Cole tickled the chance around the post for a corner.
Mourinho decided that the time was for additional strength in defence and John Terry added his considerable experience at the expense of Hazard with six minutes left.
Cech certainly earned his pay cheque with another incredible save, this time from a curling Ribery free-kick.
Cole and Ivanovic then got the obligatory yellow as the seconds ticked down.
But with the last kick of the game, five seconds from time and Bayern get an equaliser - Martinez slotted home from close range to send the game into penalties.

 

 

 

 

Teams:
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Torres
Subs, Schwarzer, Azpilicueta, Terry, Essien, Mikel, Mata, Lukaku.

Bayern Munich:
Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Lahm (c), Robben, Muller, Kroos, Ribery; Mandzukic.

Substitutues: Starke, Van Buyten, Contento, Martinez, Gotze, Shaqiri, Pizarro.

The referee is Jonas Eriksson from Sweden.