Crystal Palace pulled off a dramatic upset to claim their first-ever Community Shield, defeating Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Wembley.
Liverpool’s big-money summer signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong each scored on their debuts, but Palace struck back through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty and an Ismaila Sarr finish before triumphing in a tense shootout. Mohamed Salah missed from the spot, while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by Dean Henderson, whose heroics sealed the win.
The match carried an emotional weight for Liverpool, who were mourning the death of forward Diogo Jota, killed in a car accident alongside his brother. Before kick-off, Ian Rush and Palace chairman Steve Parish laid wreaths in tribute, and players wore a “Forever 20” emblem in Jota’s memory. A minute’s silence was held, though it was cut short due to crowd disturbances.
Ekitike made an immediate impact, scoring just four minutes in from a Florian Wirtz assist. Palace hit back when Sarr was fouled by Virgil van Dijk, and Mateta converted the penalty. Frimpong restored Liverpool’s lead with a chipped cross-turned-shot, but Sarr equalised again late on, exploiting Liverpool’s defensive frailties.
With no extra time, penalties decided the winner, and Palace’s Justin Devenny delivered the decisive kick to spark celebrations for the Eagles, who added another trophy to their FA Cup triumph earlier this year.
What You Should Know
Crystal Palace beat Liverpool on penalties to win their first Community Shield, capping a historic year after also winning the FA Cup.
The match was marked by tributes to the late Diogo Jota, while Liverpool’s expensive new signings made mixed first impressions in a game that exposed the team’s defensive weaknesses.
