Joe Koraith/Doha

One of the key subplots of the 2014 Supercoppa was the battle of supremacy between two Argentinian strikers – Gonzalo Higuain, playing for Napoli and Carloz Tevez, playing for Juventus. And in the end it was Higuain, who snatched the bragging rights yesterday as his team emerged champions 6-5 in the penalty shootout at the Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad stadium. The thrilling encounter had ended in 2-2 after extra time, with 18 penalties required to find the winner.
Right from the start of the match, the star was Tevez, who gave his team a lead as early as in the fourth minute after he latched on to a botched clearance attempt and slotted the ball coolly under Napoli goalkeeper Rafael to score the opener.
Higuain had a couple of chances in the first half but couldn’t convert them. It took him till the 67th minute to get his team level. Jonathan de Guzman set off on another one of this runs down the left flank and sent in a cross at a perfect height for Higuain, who headed it perfectly into the far corner for the equaliser. Great cross and an even better finish. Whether it was a sign or not, it can’t be said but the Napoli goal came just one minute after star playmaker Andrea Pirlo was replaced by Roberto Pereyra. The Metronome’s presence was surely a reassuring factor for Juve.
Despite a flurry of activity from both sides towards the end of regulation time, neither side was able to find the back of the net. Then it was the turn of Tevez to step up again. In the 106th minute, the diminutive striker got a great pass from Paul Pogba and Tevez calmly slotted it in the far corner for a great finish.
Four minutes later, Higuain had a great chance when he found himself in a one-on-one position against Gianluigi Buffon but it was the Juve goalkeeper who won. Then in the 115th minute, Higuain claimed that he was brought down in the box but the referee waved off the penalty claims.
And then finally, in the 118th minute, Higuain redeemed himself with a lunging strike to bring Napoli back on level terms again. Jose Callejon sent the ball into the middle and Higuain rifled a shot into the box from inside the six yards and Buffon had no chance. The match extended to penalties after both the teams were deadlocked at 2-2 after extra time.
The penalty shootout didn’t begin well for Napoli. Jorginho opened the proceedings and his shot was saved by Buffon. But the pivotal moment came when Tevez failed to score after his shot hit the post, with Napoli keeper Rafael Cabral’s tactics to distract the striker paying off.  
Then both teams scored their shots till the score reached 5-5 which included Higuain scoring. And then the drama began. First Napoli’s Dries Mertens had his shot blocked by Buffon. But then for Juventus Giorgio Chiellini’s shot was saved by Cabral. Napoli missed again as Callejon’s shot was palmed off Buffon. And to even matters Pereyra hit over the bar. Napoli defender Kalidou Khoulibaly finally scored, despite hitting the post and then Simone Padoin’s shot was saved by Cabral, setting off wild celebrations in the Napoli camp.
Napoli coach Rafael Benitez had once again proved his mettle in a knockout competition and gave his team their second Supercoppa title. And defeating Juventus who they had lost to in 2012 was simply the perfect way to do it.
Juventus will feel like they had controlled the game for most part but they couldn’t control Higuain and he proved to be the difference in the end.
At the start, as the two teams had entered the pitch, their respective songs were played - Thunderstruck by AC/DC for Juventus and Go West by the Pet Shop Boys for Napoli. And in the end, it was Juve who were left ‘thunderstruck’ by Higuain & Co.




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