Kepa the cup hero in Belfast as Chelsea win Super Cup over Villarreal

The keeper, who famously refused to leave the pitch when then Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri wanted to replace him with Willy Caballero for spot-kicks in the 2019 League Cup final defeat to Manchester City, redeemed himself by making two crucial saves against the Europa League winners.

Hakim Ziyech had given Thomas Tuchel side a deserved lead at Windsor Park but they were pegged back when Gerard Moreno levelled late on.

With no goals in extra-time it was on to penalties - with Kepa coming on for Edouard Mendy for the penalties before the end.

And it proved a great call by Tuchel as the Spanish keeper denied his countrymen, saving from Aissa Mandi before denying Villarreal skipper Raul Albiol in sudden death to give Chelsea their second Super Cup victory.

Chelsea dominated from the off with Timo Werner forcing Sergio Asenjo into a great save early on after an improvised finish from a corner.

N’Golo Kante then picked Gerard Moreno’s pocket before fizzing a low drive inches past the post before Mateo Kovacic forced Asenjo to deal with a dangerous cross at the near post.

Their dominance finally told on 27 minutes as another pinpoint pass from Marcus Alonso picked out Kai Havertz’s clever run, he pulled the ball back for Ziyech to sweep home from eight yards.

Villarreal finally stirred into life as a surging run by Juan Foyth opened up the Blues’ defence allowing him to pick out Boulaye Dia, but Mendy was out quick to block the effort with his legs.

Back came Chelsea as Asenjo produced a superb save at his near post from Alonso from a Ziyech cross.

A minute later another Ziyech delivery, this time from a free-kick, picked out Kurt Zouma, but he volleyed over from inside the six-yard box.

Goal scorer Ziyech was then forced off with a shoulder injury after an innocuous coming together at a Villarreal corner as the game moved towards half-time.

And deep into stoppage time former Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno crashed a volley off the underside of the bar from a cross by his namesake Gerard.

There was a big let-off for Chelsea and keeper Mendy on 52 minutes as his poor clearance following a slip fell to Dia on the edge of the box.

He played in Moreno but Mendy redeemed himself, tipping the striker’s low shot on to the far post.

Villarreal were starting to pose more of a threat as the game moved into the final quarter.

Moreno was at the heart of everything good from the Yellow Submarine.

His well-weighted pass sent Pervis Estupinan scurrying into the box, but Mendy stood up well to block his effort.

With 17 minutes to go Moreno turned the game on its head with a sublime finish inside the box after a poor clearance from Antonio Rudiger. The frontman exchanged passes with Dia before firing into the top corner to level things up and send the Villarreal fans wild.

Extra-time was a bit more pedestrian with the first real opportunity falling to Christian Pulisic in the 100th minute.

The forward though failed to find the target from close range after Havertz had been dispossessed in the box.

Into the second period and fellow substitute Mason Mount forced Asenjo into another fine stop.

So it was on to penalties and Kepa’s heroics as the Blues came out on top 6-5 in the end - with Cesar Azpilicueta, Alonso, Mount, Jorginho, Pulisic and Rudiger scoring for Chelsea.