DHAKA: Bayern Munich beat Chelsea on 5-4 penalties to win a pulsating UEFA Super Cup showdown in Prague Friday after equalizing with the last kick of extra time.
Down to 10 men but leading 2-1, Chelsea looked set to hand Jose Mourinho the first silverware of his second reign until Javi Martinez found the net for the European champions to force the penalty shootout.
Both sides had a perfect record from the spot kicks until 20-year-old Romelu Lukaku stepped up to deliver a tame effort which was comfortably saved by Manuel Neuer.
So instead it was Pep Guardiola, a bitter rival of Mourinho when the pair managed Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga, who landed his first trophy since taking over at Bayern in the summer.
For Chelsea, it was a second successive defeat in the UEFA Super Cup, having been beaten 4-1 by a Radamel Falcao inspired Atletico Madrid in Monaco last year.
But they will take heart from their performance in a match in which they twice led only for Bayern to show their typical resilience by pulling them back.
Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead with a crisp finish from an Andre Schurrle cross in the eighth minute.
It was a lead which lasted until the second minute of the second half when Franck Ribery leveled with a 20 meter effort which beat Petr Cech at his near post.
Bayern were on top, but Chelsea fashioned the best chances as Branislav Ivanovic rattled the crossbar with a header and Neuer was forced to save from a David Luiz header.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires departed for a rash challenge on Mario Gotze which earned a second yellow card and the omens did not look good for the English Premier League side heading into extra time.
But those fears were dispelled when Eden Hazard lit up the Eden Arena with a fine solo goal, Neuer at fault as the eventual low shot eluded him.
Cech made amends for his error on Ribery`s earlier goal with a pair of stunning saves from Mario Mandzukic and Ribery.
But he could not keep out Martinez`s late effort which so cruelly denied Chelsea. A defiant Mourinho said his team deserved better.
Source: CNN
BDST: 0919 HRS, AUG 31, 2013
MR/BSK
