Image Source : SCREENSHOT Marc Ander Ter Stegen saves a penalty shot by Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal (proper).
Marc-Andre ter Stegen made two essential saves in further time after which stopped two penalties within the shootout Wednesday to assist a Barcelona aspect with out Lionel Messi beat Real Sociedad and attain the ultimate of the Spanish Super Cup.
Ter Stegen blocked penalties by Jon Bautista and Mikel Oyarzabal within the shootout earlier than Barcelona substitute Riqui Puig transformed the profitable spot kick after the sport had ended 1-1.
The German goalkeeper additionally made two excellent saves within the closing minutes of additional time, stretching to cease two goal-bound strikes by substitute Adnan Januzaj.
“This is what I am always looking for, to play at 100 percent,” Ter Stegen mentioned. “I am very happy and proud of the team for the huge effort we made, and I think we deserved the victory.”
Frenkie de Jong and Antoine Griezmann missed their penalties for Barcelona, which had began robust due to Ter Stegen’s preliminary saves within the shootout, earlier than Puig clinched the win together with his decisive effort. Ousmane Dembele and Miralem Pjanic additionally transformed theirs for the Catalan membership.
De Jong put Barcelona forward with a skillful header within the thirty ninth minute of a extremely entertaining contest between two of essentially the most enticing and proficient assaults in Spain.
Oyarzabal equalized from the spot after De Jong used his arm to chop off a cross within the space within the 51st. But when the Spain striker went again to the spot within the shootout, Ter Stegen held his floor till smothering his effort, ending Oyarzabal’s streak of 16 transformed spot kicks in a row.
“Anyone who likes football, enjoyed this match,” Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil mentioned. “There are some losses that hurt but that help your grow, especially for a young team like ours. Soccer sometimes owes you one, and now I think we have one coming back.”
Puig, who has struggled to get enjoying time for the reason that arrival of Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman final summer time, went on at first of additional time.
When the group huddled earlier than the shootout, the 21-year-old Puig raised his hand when Koeman requested who wished to take the fifth and closing kick.
“When I grabbed the ball, I knew it was going in. And I shot it with all my confidence,” mentioned Puig, who added that he hoped to play extra. “Even if I don’t play that much, I have my family and my health. I won’t give up now after spending so many years to reach the first team. I won’t give up now.”
The win comes with Barcelona on the rise within the Spanish league after a troublesome transition following the arrival of Koeman and the membership’s overhaul of its squad.
Center again Ronald Araújo excelled once more enjoying for the injured Gerard Pique, whereas Óscar Mingueza impressed in his first match at right-back.
“If you consider all the players we have injured, it is important to see how others have stepped up,” Koeman mentioned.
Messi watched the match from the stands within the intense chilly at Córdoba’s Nuevo Arcángel Stadium. He had been substituted early in Barcelona’s 4-0 win at Granada on Saturday. He additionally missed a 1-1 draw with Eibar two weeks in the past as a result of a proper ankle drawback.
Barcelona will face the winner of the opposite semifinal between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao to be performed in Granada on Thursday.
Koeman mentioned the membership would “have to wait over the next days to see if (Messi) is in condition to play” the ultimate in Seville on Sunday.
The Super Cup was moved to southern Spain after the coronavirus pandemic stopped it from being held in Saudi Arabia for a second straight 12 months as deliberate.
(With inputs from AP).
