Crystal Palace have won the Community Shield after beating Liverpool on penalties at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
In the annual Premier League curtain-raiser between last season’s top-flight champions and the FA Cup winners, it was the latter who prevailed 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 2-2 in 90 minutes.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson was the shootout hero for Palace saving two penalties, before 21-year-old midfielder Justin Devenny scored the decisive spot-kick for the Eagles.
The victory marks a second Wembley triumph in three months for Oliver Glasner’s side after their maiden FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in May. They are also the first club to win the Community Shield on their debut in the match for 50 years, since Derby County in 1975.
Community Shield gets off to a fast start
Premier League champions Liverpool have been active in this transfer window having signed five players so far; with four of them – Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike – handed their debuts from the start.
And within four minutes, two of them had worked to great effect to give Arne Slot’s side the lead as £116million Premier League record-signing Wirtz assisted £79m striker Ekitike to score.
Palace were unfazed though and deservedly equalised 13 minutes later through the penalty spot. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk fouled Ismaila Sarr, allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to convert the spot-kick.
However, Palace’s parity only lasted for four minutes when summer signing Frimpong restored the Reds’ lead.
The right-back’s goal came in rather fortuitous circumstances when his dinked cross to towards the far post sailed over Henderson’s head and into the Palace goal.
It came at a poignant time though as Liverpool supporters had been paying tribute to Diogo Jota, who wore their No 20 shirt before his death in a car accident last month, just moments before in the 20th minute.
Ismaila Sarr equalises for Crystal Palace
Liverpool had opportunities to extend their lead in the second half through Ekitike but the 23-year-old was unable to do so.
And Slot’s side were made to pay for their missed chances when Sarr was played onside by Frimpong and finished clinically in off the post on 77 minutes.
That goal gave Palace the momentum going into the final stages of the Community Shield clash and they had appeals for a penalty turned away when Alexis Mac Allister appeared to handle the ball inside his own area.
They almost won it too when Devenny, who came on as a second-half stoppage time, shot just wide of Alisson Becker’s post. However, he would soon have his moment in the sun…
Eagles soar high come penalties
For a third-straight Community Shield, the showpiece was to be decided by penalties.
Van Dijk won the coin toss and elected to shoot towards the Liverpool supporters with Mohamed Salah going first. However, their talisman was only able to fire over the crossbar.
Mateta converted with aplomb past Alisson again before Henderson thrwated Mac Allister with a fine save.
Eberechi Eze saw his effort tipped on to the post by Alisson to see the score remain 1-0 to Palace after two penalties apiece.
Cody Gakpo scored Liverpool’s first spot-kick of the afternoon but Sarr conitnued to torment the Merseysiders by scoring his.
Henderson came to the rescue again by saving Harvey Elliott’s effort, leaving Palace summer signing Borna Sosa the opportunity to win it. However, his strike cannoned back off the crossbar.
The pressure was on Dominik Szoboszlai to score and he duly did with a powerful strike to keep Liverpool in it.
With all on eyes on Devenny, his coolness belied his age as he rifled his shot into the top corner to win the Community Shield for Crystal Palace for the first time in their history – sparking scenes of jubilation for all those concerned in red and blue.
What’s next for Crystal Palace and Liverpool?
While the defeat will sting for Liverpool, their focus will now turn to Friday night when they host Bournemouth in the first game of the Premier League season. It is bound to be an emotionally-charged occasion too as the first competitive game since Jota’s passing.
Meanwhile for Crystal Palace, they will be looking to take the momentum from this historic victory by shocking Club World Cup champions Chelsea when they travel to Stamford Bridge next Sunday afternoon.
