Crystal Palace came from behind twice to stun Liverpool on penalties and win the FA Community Shield at Wembley, the first time a new name had appeared on the trophy as outright winners since 1978. Liverpool started like a runaway train, with debutants Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong both netting in the first half. But Palace grew into the game and were full value for their equaliser in the second half. Dean Henderson then produced stunning saves from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott after Mohamed Salah had ballooned the first kick way over the bar. Justin Devenny, a late substitute in normal time, thumped home to winning penalty to start raucous celebrations among the Palace support.
Such a finale had seemed very unlikely when Florian Wirtz, another of Liverpool’s new signings, produced some deft footwork before teeing up Ekitike for a superb low finish into the far corner. But after a quarter hour of one-way traffic, Palace broke forward, and after Alisson had saved brilliantly from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Virgil van Dijk brought down Ismaila Sarr. Mateta coolly tucked away the penalty.
On 21 minutes, just seconds after the Liverpool support had sung in remembrance of Diogo Jota – whose No. 20 has now been retired by the club – Frimpong gave them the lead with a mishit cross that sailed over Henderson and into the far corner. But Palace continued to threaten on the break, and after Wirtz had missed a good chance, Sarr was put through by Adam Wharton to fire past Alisson and restore parity on 77 minutes. Eberechi Eze and Devenny had chances to win it, as did Salah, but it was Henderson – once of Manchester United – who would have the last word in the English football season’s curtain-raiser.
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