Manchester City came back from 1-0 down against Chelsea to win 3-2 as they lifted the Community Shield at Villa Park.
The Premier League title winners faced the FA Cup victors in the annual clash, moved to the Midlands due to Wembley’s participation in the Olympics.
And the two sides kicked off the football season with an exciting game full of goals, controversy and a red card.
Chelsea handed a competitive debut to £32million Belgian signing Eden Hazard who saw plenty of the ball early on, but the only meaningful contribution from him came when an attempted back heel saw him fall face first into the floor.
He had something to cheer about not long after though as team-mate Fernando Torres, much mocked for his profligate spells during last season, saw the ball run into his path in the penalty area and he fired home beyond Costel Pantilimon after 40 minutes.
Things immediately went downhill for the Blues as within two minutes, Branislav Ivanovic slid in hard on Aleksandar Kolarov and earned himself a straight red card.
Chelsea got through to half-time without conceding but eight minutes into the second period Man City midfielder Yaya Toure thrashed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner to equalise.
Six minutes later Roberto Mancini’s side took the lead as Carlos Tevez cut in from the left, drifted into the centre of the goal and planted the ball past Petr Cech with aplomb.
Just after the hour mark Samir Nasri made the scoreline 3-1 as he flicked home Kolarov’s cross from ten-yards.
There was a late rally from Chelsea as Olympian Ryan Bertrand tapped home his first goal for the club ten minutes from time after Pantilimon palmed Daniel Sturridge’s effort tamely into his path.
But the strike was only a consolation as Manchester City held firm to seal victory at Villa Park and lift the Community Shield.