Real Madrid claimed the 2022 UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt this past Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. David Alaba and Karim Benzema each found the net, guiding Madrid to their fifth title in the competition—a feat that ties them with Barcelona and Milan. The Champions League champions cruised to victory against a Frankfurt side that played with heart but couldn't convert their chances. Notably, this match between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League marked the first time semi-automated offside technology was used in a European tournament.
The match was a hit with the fans, and the new offside system worked flawlessly. Karim Benzema continued his quest for the Ballon d'Or by scoring his 324th goal for Madrid. With this strike, he officially overtook Raul as the club's second-highest goalscorer of all time, with only Cristiano Ronaldo (450 goals) remaining ahead of him.
Making their first appearance in the Super Cup, Frankfurt held their own in the opening half and created several threats. Real Madrid's keeper, Thibaut Courtois, had to stay sharp to keep the game scoreless. Despite this, Madrid dictated the tempo and held onto the ball, which eventually allowed them to break the deadlock shortly before halftime.
The opening goal came in the 37th minute when David Alaba walked the ball into an empty net, capitalizing on a precise header from Casemiro who had played it back from a tight angle. Although Frankfurt looked dangerous early on—particularly with a missed opportunity from Daichi Kamada—Madrid gradually asserted their dominance as the match wore on.
Madrid maintained their grip on the game after the interval, nearly scoring in the 55th minute if not for a sharp save by Kevin Trapp. However, ten minutes later, Benzema made it 2-0 with a clinical finish, marking his first goal of the new campaign.
The goal was set up by Vinicius Jr., who drifted in from the left wing and found Benzema at the edge of the penalty area. The French striker let the ball roll across his frame before slotting it past Trapp. While the ball had a bit of a wobble, it was a shot Trapp likely should have stopped, though he may have been screened by other players.
With this victory, manager Carlo Ancelotti etched his name in the record books as the most successful coach in the competition's history, winning the trophy four times (2003, 2007, 2014, 2022). For this match, the Italian strategist opted for the exact same starting lineup that beat Liverpool in the Champions League final back in May.