Sevilla resume silver service

Sevilla FC added the Spanish Super Cup to their burgeoning trophy collection on Sunday after an action-packed 5-3 victory over champions Real Madrid CF at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Early warning
Sevilla have won the UEFA Cup twice, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Super Cup in the past 15 months and they were celebrating again tonight after a Frédéric Kanouté hat-trick and two goals from Renato ensured a 1-0 lead from last Saturday's first leg did not go to waste. Madrid battled gamely with new signing Royston Drenthe, Fabio Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos all getting on the scoresheet, but they appeared disorganised and Sevilla's firepower proved too strong as they cantered to a 6-3 aggregate win.

Drenthe strike
Luis Fabiano had given Sevilla the lead from the penalty spot last week and Juande Ramos's side soon doubled that advantage when Renato turned in Christian Poulsen's precise cross on 16 minutes. The match had started at a blistering pace and just seven minutes later Drenthe pulled the home side level. The Dutch Under-21 international announced himself to the home fans with a rasping drive from distance that caught Andrés Palop off guard and rattled in off the crossbar.

Cannavaro header
Confidence lifted, Madrid pressed forward and Raúl González fizzed an effort just wide. Sevilla, though, struck next on 28 minutes when Renato headed in Duda's pinpoint cross. The result appeared beyond doubt when Kanouté hit Sevilla's third from the penalty spot after Pepe had handled in the area, but the Spanish champions thought otherwise, Cannavaro heading in Wesley Sneijder's cross to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half-time.

Kanouté fifth
Madrid pressed after the break and Robinho, Raúl and Sergio Ramos all came close before the latter finally turned in substitute Guti’s cross on 78 minutes. With the scored locked at three with twelve minutes to go, Madrid were back in the tie, but Kanouté swung it back Sevilla's way when he pounced on a misunderstanding between Pepe and Iker Casillas with nine minutes to go. Madrid's hopes were finally extinguished when Pepe was dismissed for a second yellow card in the final minute, before Kanouté rubbed salt in their wounds with his third and Sevilla's fifth in the dying moments. Madrid kick off the defence of their title at home to rivals Club Atlético de Madrid on Sunday when Sevilla are at home to Getafe CF.