FULL TIME: REAL MADRID 2 UNITED 1

8 Aug, 2017

As the ticker tape falls on Real and United's players head back inside the stadium, so will we. Look out for reaction shortly from Mourinho, who handed his medal to a fan as he exited.

The Reds, led by Mourinho, come onto the stage to warm applause around the ground, picking up their medals before heading over to thank the travelling fans. Real Madrid are then presented with their medals and, finally, the trophy.

The referee and his assistants are first up to collect their medals and they will be followed by United's squad.

Possession: Real 63% United 37%
Shots: Real 16 United 14
Shots on target: Real 6 United 6
Corners: Real 8 United 2
Fouls: Real 10 United 17

UEFA are quickly into action, erecting a presentation stage on the pitch. Isco is announced as the official Man of the Match.

Despite a valiant attempt to fight back from two goals down, United's bid to win a second UEFA Super Cup is ended by Real in Skopje.

90+6 - Thankfully for United, our former favourite blasts it over. As United try to attack, a pitch invader enters the pitch, pursued by six stewards.

90+5 - Ronaldo earns a free-kick 22 yards out after a challenge by Valencia. And you know who's going to take it...

United's sub is booked for a foul on Vazquez. Time is running out for the Reds here.

90+2 - De Gea makes a superb save from Asensio after he was found in the box by his felow sub Vazquez. Seconds earlier, Navas kept out Fellaini's header.

90+1 - The fourth official indicates there will be a minimum of seven minutes of added time. Fellaini's injury accounts for the majority of that.

90 - We're into the final minute of normal time and United are pressing forward in search of an equaliser, leaving ourselves vulnerable to a rapid Real counter-attack.

Fellaini gets to grips with Carvajal.

The combative centre-back is the next man to be cautioned for sending Pogba flying with a heavy challenge on the touchline.

The defender is booked for pulling back Rashford and United have a free-kick about 30 yards out, but the man who was impeded can't keep his effort down.

There's another huge roar around the Philip II Arena as Ronaldo comes on to face his former club. Moments earlier, the French striker's last action was to see a shot blocked behind.

81 - Chance for United! Mkhitaryan plays in Rashford but Navas gets a finger to the youngster's shot and tips it wide.

79 - Fellaini is still down in Real's six-yard box, being patched up by United's medical staff but he looks like he'll be able to continue. He's taken off the pitch and the game restarts.

76 - Matic swings over a cross and Fellaini rises with Ramos. There's a collision of heads and both players require treatment. Meanwhile, it looks like Cristiano Ronaldo is about to come on.

Zidane makes a double change as the action resumes.

73 - Just under 20 minutes to go and it's time for another drinks break - or a 'cooling break', as it was just described on the big screen.

71 - The goal has certainly lifted United - and our fans. The Reds have been on the front foot since scoring but haven't yet tested Navas further.

Isco scores Real's second goal and Lukaku celebrates after halving the deficit.

Rashford is challenged by Casemiro.

Get in! United are back in it as Navas parries Matic's shot and Lukaku sidefoots home the rebound for a goal on his competitive debut.

61 - Bale picks up the ball on the right side of the box and blasts a right-footed shot against De Gea's crossbar. Moments later, Benzema is unable to convert a cross and the United keeper collects.

60 - Rashford is looking to attack the Real defence every time he picks the ball up on the left; this time, a big thud echoes around the stadium as his shot cannons back off Casemiro.

59 - Modric tests De Gea with a low, left-footed shot but the United keeper is up to the task.

58 - United's fans continue to sing. They're going to enjoy this special occasion, whatever the result.

Mourinho adds the directness of Marouane to United's attack as he seeks for a way back into this game.

54 - United have a glorious chance to respond immediately. Navas can only parry Pogba's header from Herrera's cross out to Lukaku, but the summer signing can't convert the rebound as his effort flies over the top.

The European champions go two goals clear as Isco plays a lovely one-two with Bale before slotting past De Gea.

51 - The Manchester United Calypso gets an airing as United's fans try to lift the Reds.

48 - United clear the resulting corner but Mkhitaryan is dispossessed and Marcelo sprints into the box before firing a shot that is deflected into the side-netting.

48 - De Gea is called into action early, making a flying save to keep out Kroos's shot.

46 - The action resumes in Skopje.

MATCH RESTARTS

So, Mourinho makes his first change of the game at the start of the second period, with Rashford taking up Lingard's position on the left of United's front three.

Here come the players for the second half and Rashford is about to be introduced.

Can Jose inspire his troops to respond in the second period?

Marcus Rashford has come out onto the pitch in the half-time interval to warm up. Might we see the young striker in the second period?

Possession: Real 63% United 37%
Shots: Real 7 United 4
Shots on target: Real 2 United 1
Corners: Real 3 United 0
Fouls: Real 3 United 9

The Reds trail at the break to Casemiro's strike but Mourinho will feel his side have created enough openings to be confident of getting back into this game in the second period.

45 - Pogba floats over a cross and Lukaku gets up well but can't get enough purchase on his header and Navas collects. There will be two minutes of added time.

Lindelof hunts down Bale.

43 - De Gea is forced into a smart low stop from Benzema after a surging run from Modric into the box that was thwarted by Matic.

Jesse is the first player into the book for a late sliding tackle on Isco.

39 - Captain Valencia powers past Marcelo and stands up a cross towards the back post but it's cleared.

37 - Lukaku finds Pogba on the left of the box and the Frenchman attempts to place a shot into the opposite corner but it's deflected away to safety. United have certainly fashioned some dangerous-looking openings but have so far lacked a final touch.

And here he is sliding the Spaniards into the lead.

Here's goalscorer Casemiro hitting the woodwork with a header just after the quarter-hour mark.

34 - Herrera takes the resulting free-kick and is annoyed with himself as it has too much weight on it and goes behind for a goal kick.

33 - The game resumes and Matic shows neat footwork to evade two would-be tacklers, before passing to Pogba, who is upended about 30 yards from goal.

31 - With half-an-hour played, the referee signals it's time for a drinks break. It's certainly still hot and humid here, after 21:00 local time, as hundreds of moths flutter around the floodlights above our heads.

Smalling closes down Benzema.

30 - Bale latches onto a through-ball and slots past De Gea but is flagged offside. This time, replays suggest the Welshman might feel a little hard done by.

29 - The goal has quietened the majority of fans inside the stadium and comes as a blow to United, who began well but have been somewhat on the back foot for the last 15 minutes.

Zidane's side take the lead as Carvajal picks out Casemiro in the box and he fires a first-time, left-footed volley low past De Gea. Replays show the midfielder was marginally offside but the goal stands.

22 - Modric skips into the box on the right and his attempted cross deflects off Matic and into De Gea's grateful arms.

21 - Real are not afraid to shoot on sight and Isco tries his luck from 25 yards, but it lands on the running track behind De Gea's goal.

Mourinho shouts instructions from the touchline.

18 - From Real's next attack, Jesse intercepts but Darmian can only clear as far as Casemiro, whose powerful shot is off target. The European champions are growing into this game.

16 - United surge forward on the counter-attack and Pogba finds himself in a promising position on the edge of the box, but his shot is blocked.

16 - Real have a corner from the left. Casemiro gets his head to it and it cannons back off De Gea's crossbar.

This was Bale's flick over the bar earlier in the game.

13 - It's a measure of Matic's quality - and presumably his natural fitness levels - that he's been picked to start tonight, after just one 45-minute outing in pre-season. He's begun in typically authoritative fashion in midfield.

11 - Isco superbly controls a long crossfield ball to the right wing but the forward's attempted pass into the box goes harmlessly out of play for a goal kick.

10 - We're coming up to 10 minutes played in this game and United have made the brighter start, looking incisive and quick in attack.

8 - Mkhitaryan attacks the goal and nutmegs Ramos thrillingly before being seemingly tripped on the edge of the box. Most of the crowd are baying for a free-kick but Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi waves play on.

6 - Pogba finds Lingard with a lovely little inside pass and the wide man bears down on goal, but is dispossessed just as he's entering the box. Promising move.

3 - A Real cross comes in from the left and Bale sticks out a boot instinctively in the box, but it sails over De Gea's crossbar. United definitely got away with one there.

1 - Navas looks uncertain under an early high ball as Lukaku challenges, but the Real keeper manages to punch clear.

1 - The action begins in Skopje. Come on, United!

MATCH STARTED

Both teams are in position - United in red and Real in dark blue. Ander Herrera will get the game under way...

Here come the two teams, holding the Europa League and Champions League trophies, the silverware that got them here, of course. We're a couple of minutes away from kick-off now.

As a giant 'UEFA Super Cup' banner is unfurled on the pitch alongside the two clubs' crests, a group of about 100 children make their way onto the pitch, many dressed in what seems like traditional Macedonian attire, to perform a dance routine, which is followed by a rendition of Coldplay's Sky Full Of Stars.

Having finished their preparations, both sides have made their way back to the dressing rooms, and the pitch gets a good hosing. We're 20 minutes away from kick-off.

Here's our vantage point tonight. You might just be able to make out the Millennium Cross in the background, providing an illuminating backdrop on Vodno Mountain.

One corner of the stadium is adorned with some 20 red, white and black flags. There's plenty of support from all over the UK here tonight.

Most of the United squad are currently taking part in a rapid 'boxes' session, with three players taking it in turn to try to intercept the ball as it's passed around them. At the other end of the pitch, Real Madrid are taking part in some shooting practice.

United's adidas home shirts are lined up ahead of the first competitive match of 2017/18...

United's players have just come out onto the pitch, to huge applause from a crowd that seems to be two-thirds red and is already about 90 per cent full, half-an-hour before kick-off. There's an expectant hum around the stadium as Marcus Rashford juggles the ball impressively in the middle of the park.

In a TV interview, Mourinho was asked about the humidity in Skopje. "I think it will affect both teams," he said. "I don't think it's a huge problem because pre-season was in the US and temperatures were high, and we have to cope with it. Let's see if the referee allows a little break, if he feels that need. But we are professionals - we have to go to our limits and we're ready for that."

Supporters started to take their seats a good couple of hours before kick-off. Make no mistake: this is a big game.

Here's a mightily atmospheric pic of tonight's venue...

Real team to face United: Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Kroos, Benzema, Modric, Bale, Marcelo, Casemiro, Isco.

Subs: Casilla, Nacho, Ronaldo, Hernandez, Vazquez, Asensio, Kovacic.

De Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Darmian, Matic, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, Lukaku.

Substitutes: Romero, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Martial, Rashford.

This group of cheery Macedonian fans impressively knew all the words to a variety of United songs.

The Reds are in the house!

If the scores are level after 90 minutes tonight, we will have extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out. A Super Cup has been decided on spot-kicks only once – in 2013, when Bayern Munich beat Chelsea.

On Paul Pogba, one of the many stars of world football who will be on show in tonight's spectacle, Jose said: "I'm totally convinced that this season will be even better for Pogba and that playing in the Champions League against the best players will take some pressure off him, because in the Europa League he was one of the two or three biggest stars."

Quoted in tonight's official programme, Mourinho says: "We're playing against the European champions. It's like we're back at the theatre, back at that level. This is where we want to be."

Jose Mourinho delivered some team news at his pre-match press conference yesterday. Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are suspended, and Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Ashley Young are injured, while Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic could make their official debuts. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are available for Real. We'll have the teams at around 18:45 BST.

Tonight's match will be held at the Philip II Arena, a modern stadium close to the city centre that will be packed with some 33,000 fans.

Good evening from Skopje and welcome to our live text commentary on United's UEFA Super Cup clash with Real Madrid. The Reds have been in Macedonia since Monday lunchtime and you can review a colourful (and sweltering) trip so far in our travel blog.