Real Madrid see off United to win UEFA Super Cup

UEFA Super Cup Final

Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United

Real Madrid lifted a second successive UEFA Super Cup after a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in Macedonia.

In the battle of last season’s European trophy winners, it was the Champions League holders who took the lead with Casemiro opening the scoring in the 24th minute.

Zinedine Zidane’s side doubled their lead in the 53rd minute through Isco and were in total control until Romelu Lukau pulled one back for the Europa League winners.

United rallied late on with substitute Marcus Rashford denied by Keylor Navas and it was Real who held on to become the first team to win successive UEFA Super Cups since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted on Monday that he would “fight” for Gareth Bale’s return to English football should Real Madrid leave the Wales international out of Real Madrid’s squad for the game in Macedonia.

But Bale started and was straight into the action, latching onto Marcelo’s deflected cross but his effort failed to trouble David De Gea.

Real enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening stages and they should have been ahead in the 17th minute but Casemiro, from close range, saw a header cannon back off the crossbar.

Despite being second best for much of the opening 45 minutes, United could have been level on the stroke of half-time when Paul Pogba’s cross picked out Lukaku, but United’s club record signing could only pick out Keylor Navas.

Real doubled their advantage immediately after the break when Isco finished into the bottom corner after collecting a return pass from Bale.

And Bale could have made it three in the 61st minute, rattling the crossbar with a fierce shot.

However, United were back in the game a minute later when Lukaku, who atoned for a poor earlier miss, pounced on the rebound after Matic’s shot was saved to score from close range.

Rashford, who came on at half-time on for Jesse Lingard, impressed late on and could have grabbed an equaliser but Navas tipped the England striker’s goal-bound effort around the post.

In difficult conditions, United continued to fight hard for an equaliser but it proved beyond them at the Philip II National Arena as Real held on for their fourth Super Cup success.

Real Madrid are in Spanish Super Cup action against Barcelona with the first leg on Sunday at the Nou Camp and the second leg three days later at the Bernabeu.