In a stunning upset at Wembley Stadium, FA Cup winners Crystal Palace have won the Community Shield for the very first time in their history, defeating Premier League champions Liverpool 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a thrilling 2-2 draw.
The match started perfectly for Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Blockbuster new signing Hugo Ekitike announced his arrival by scoring his first official goal for the club inside the first five minutes, finishing ruthlessly after a brilliant link-up with fellow newcomer Florian Wirtz.
However, Palace, playing in their first-ever Community Shield, quickly found their footing. The dangerous Ismaïla Sarr won a penalty after being tripped in the box by Virgil van Dijk, and Jean-Philippe Mateta calmly converted from the spot to level the score.
Liverpool’s lead was restored just a couple of minutes later in somewhat fortunate circumstances. Another new signing, right-back Jeremie Frimpong, saw his attempted cross loop unexpectedly over a despairing Dean Henderson and into the net to make it 2-1.
The Reds’ defensive frailties, which had been a concern throughout pre-season, were exposed again in the second half. A “gaping void” in their backline allowed the pacy Ismaïla Sarr to run through and coolly finish past Alisson to tie the game at 2-2.
With no winner in normal time, the match went to penalties. Liverpool’s star players crumbled under the pressure, with Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott both having their spot-kicks saved by Henderson, before Mohamed Salah blazed his effort wildly over the bar, sealing a historic victory for Crystal Palace.
It is a monumental day for the Eagles, but a deeply disappointing start to the competitive season for Liverpool. While their new-look attack showed immense promise, the sloppy defensive errors that plagued their pre-season have already cost them their first chance at silverware.