Champion Manchester United F.C. Venue Old Trafford | Date 19 November 1991 Attendance 22,110 | |
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Referee Mario van der Ende (Royal Dutch Football Association) Similar 1979 European Super Cup, 1984 European Super Cup, 1999 UEFA Super Cup, 1998 UEFA Super Cup, 2004 UEFA Super Cup | ||
The 1991 European Super Cup was the 16th UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's European Cup and Cup Winners' Cup competitions. The match was played on 19 November 1991 and featured the 1990–91 European Cup winners, Red Star Belgrade, and Manchester United, winners of the 1990–91 Cup Winners' Cup. It was meant to be played over two legs, but due to the political unrest in Yugoslavia at the time, UEFA decided that only the Old Trafford leg would be played. Manchester United won the match 1–0, with Brian McClair scoring the winning goal in the 67th minute.
Summary
Manchester United had the first chance of the game in the second minute, when they were awarded a penalty by referee Mario van der Ende; a free kick from the right wing was hit to the far side of the penalty area by Lee Martin, where the ball was met by Gary Pallister, only for his header back across the box to be blocked by the arm of Red Star centre-back Miodrag Belodedici, who received a yellow card. Manchester United captain Steve Bruce stepped up to take the penalty kick, which he placed to the goalkeeper's right; however, it was at a good height to be saved by Zvonko Milojević, who guessed the direction correctly and palmed the ball to safety before dealing with the follow-up attack.
The only goal of the game came in the 67th minute, again following a free kick. After Brian McClair was fouled about 30 yards from goal in the inside-left channel, Denis Irwin played the free kick into the penalty area; Mark Hughes was unable to reach the ball, but Neil Webb caught Dejan Savićević in possession after an attempted clearance and drove towards the penalty area; after beating Duško Radinović on the edge of the box, he hit a shot that struck the foot of the right-hand post and bounced back into the centre, where an unmarked McClair was on hand to tuck the ball into the net past a stranded Milojević.