Real Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt. UEFA Super Cup.
Helsinki Olympyc StadiumAttendance31,042.
Match report from the UEFA Super Cup as Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Helsinki; David Alaba opened the scoring for the Champions League winners in the first half before Karim Benzema made it 2-0 after the break; Real have now won the competition five times
Thursday 11 August 2022 08:03, UK
David Alaba and Karim Benzema scored in each half as Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Finland to win the UEFA Super Cup for a record-equalling fifth time.
The winners of last season's Champions League and Europa League faced off at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki where semi-automated offside technology was making its first appearance in European competition.
Despite Thibaut Courtois being called into action several times in the first half, Real controlled the majority of possession and went ahead eight minutes before the break when David Alaba tapped into an empty net (37) after Casemiro had headed the ball back across goal from a tight angle.
Frankfurt continued to show promise after the interval but lacked purpose in the final third and it was the La Liga champions who looked the most likely to score the game's second goal.
Casemiro struck the bar with a powerful left-footed drive on the hour mark before Benzema doubled Real's lead and sealed the win when he connected with a Vinicius Junior cross to beat Kevin Trapp from just inside the area (65).
Benzema's strike sees him become Real's outright second-highest goalscorer of all time (324), ahead of Raul (323) but behind Cristiano Ronaldo (450).
Real join AC Milan and rivals Barcelona in winning the Super Cup five times (2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022), while boss Carlo Ancelotti becomes the most successful manager in the competition's history with four titles (2003, 2007, 2014, 2022).
As for Frankfurt, their poor start to the season continues after they were thrashed 6-1 by Bayern Munich in their opening Bundesliga match last week.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti:
"Eintracht were very closed and we found it difficult to find our rhythm, but we did it well then.
"It's difficult at the beginning of the season to be in top form but we now have won to start the season well."
The Italian reserved special praise for captain Benzema, who was last season's top scorer in the Champions League.
"He's a very important player, a team leader," he said.
"If we're here it's largely due to his merits, he scored a lot of goals, he finished the season well, he scored a goal today and now he's going for the Ballon d'Or award."
Real Madrid begin the defence of their La Liga title when they travel to Almeria on Sunday; kick-off 9pm. Up next for Eintracht Frankfurt is a trip to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday; kick-off 2.30pm.
