In the 2017 UEFA Super Cup, Real Madrid defeated Manchester United 2-1.
Real Madrid defeated Manchester United 2-1 in the 2017 UEFA European Super Cup on Tuesday at the Philip II Arena in Skopje, Macedonia, thanks to goals from Casemiro and Isco.
Champions of the UEFA Champions League Real Madrid took a two-goal lead but Romelu Lukaku’s tap-in goal for Europa League winners United secured an exciting conclusion.
According to the official Champions League Twitter account, Gareth Bale, a transfer target for Manchester United, was included in Real Madrid’s starting lineup.
In the twenty-fourth minute, Casemiro put Real ahead of goals after right-back Dani Carvajal’s exquisite cross. Despite appearing to be offside, Brazilian holding midfielder Casemiro’s goal was awarded.
It meant this unlikely goalscorer, usually known for his defensive nous, has now made a habit of finding the net on the big stage for Real, per Squawka Football:
Real maintained solid control of United, who found it difficult to hold onto the ball and generate much of a threat up front. The Red Devils’ most popular tactic to try to penetrate Real Madrid’s defence was to send long balls into the channels so that Lukaku could take advantage of his speed and strength.
Lack of assistance for Lukaku’s efforts was evident as Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Jesse Lingard found it difficult to get near enough to the Belgium international.
The way Isco moved and played was one of the reasons Real Madrid controlled possession. The former Malaga star was a constant presence in midfield, moving between positions with ease, constantly displaying his desire for the ball and exchanging short passes with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
At the half, United substituted Marcus Rashford for Lingard, but the one-sided nature of the game continued.
Once again, Real got off to a fast start, as Toni Kroos saw him sting David De Gea’s hands from a distance. But Los Merengues didn’t take long to double their advantage.
Seven minutes into the second half, Bale freed Isco, who scored coolly to give them their second.
James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph commented on the disparity in skill between the two teams due to how easy the goal was to score
United ought to have responded immediately, but Keylor Navas turned Pogba’s header away, and Lukaku scuffed the rebound high over the crossbar. Jamie Jackson of The Guardian made it apparent that United’s high-profile acquisition needs to perform better:
