CRYSTAL PALACE 2, LIVERPOOL 2
(Palace won 3-2 on penalties)
Crystal Palace again relished the role of underdogs as they defeated Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties to lift the FA Community Shield.
Three months after beating Manchester City to lift the Emirates FA Cup, Palace, who finished 12th in the league last season, returned to Wembley to bag further silverware.
In a rousing curtain-raiser to the new campaign, Palace twice came from behind to take the game to a penalty shootout decider as they refused to be beaten.
Palace, galvanized with a new-found belief after beating City, held their nerve as Liverpool lost theirs.
Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister missed their first two kicks to leave them facing an uphill battle.
And though Palace failed to covert two of their kicks, Liverpool missed a third as Harvey Elliott’s was saved by former Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, one of two fine stops he made – Salah had blazed over with his side’s opener.
What we learned after this game as a pre-curser to the new campaign is that Liverpool will still be the team to beat.
Arne Slot has made more changes than many would have expected after being crowned champions in May, just as City’s side has undergone a major rehaul in 2025.
Liverpool have bought well with striker Hugo Ekitike and midfielder Florian Wirtz class while Jeremie Frimpong is a more than able replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Slot said: “There was not a main issue other than they missed two penalties and we did three which doesn’t help.
“I thought we controlled the game until they made it 2-2. Then there was a big chance for Mo Salah but then we could have lost it.
“I expected to win until they made it 2-2 then perhaps we were lucky to take it to penalties.”
Slot added that pre-season has shown his side can create more and better chances than last season, pointing out last season’s success was built on clean sheets and not conceding many goals.
“We didn’t give away many chances until they made it 2-2, but conceded two goals,” he said.
Delighted Palace manager Oliver Glasner said: “I like it [the feeling]. I have to give big credit to the players for this win.
“We came back and were able to decide the game on penalties. We were on the same level as Liverpool and it was a big performance, I’m proud of the team.”
Embed from Getty ImagesOn his side’s improvement, he continued: “We know what we can do and how we can create chances. Things have developed over 18 months, and the players are really starting to believe in what we are doing. I knew we could score at least two goals.”
Glasner named a five-man defence for Palace’s first competitive game of the season.
It was the same system used for their most recent friendly, a 1-0 loss to Augsburg on August 1. Captain Marc Guehi, subject of transfer speculation as he enters the last year of his contract, was one of three centre backs.
Palace had several injury issues with Eddie Nketiah andCheick Doucoure among those set to miss the start of the season.
Four of Liverpool’s summer signings, including record acquisition Wirtz, made their first competitive starts for the club today.
Frimpong and Milos Kerkez formed a new look pair of full backs while Ekitike led the line as the central striker.
Alisson kept his place in goal with Giorgi Mamardashvili among the substitutes.
It is a revamped Liverpool side after losing Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah and Darwin Nunez along with the tragic death of Diogo Jota.
The minute’s silence in memory of Jota and his brother Andre Silva had to be cut short by referee Chris Kavanagh after it wasn’t observed by a small number of visiting fans.
It was a dream start for Ekitike who found the net inside four minutes on his competitive debut.
A move down the left ended with Wirtz sipping a pass to Ekitike who cut inside before bending a shot low past keeper Dean Henderson.
Palace were level in the 17th minute through a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty which was awarded after Virgil van Dijk fouled Ismaila Sarr as he burst into the penalty area.
Liverpool quickly regained the lead with a goal from another debutant, Frimpong, who was bought to replace Alexander-Arnold.
The right back was released on the right and burst towards goal before his cross looped over Henderson into the far corner of the net. He was released by a fabulous cross-field pass from Dominik Szoboszlai.
With the mercury hitting 26 degrees, there was drinks break mid-half and a lull in the game which had been played at a whirlwind pace.
Mateta had a great chance to equalise in the seven minutes of added time but dragged his shot wide.
And within one minute of the restart, Ekitike ought to have grabbed his second of the game inexplicably heading wide from five yards when he looked certain to convert a cross from Kerkez.
Ekitike had another great chance but fired wide under pressure after another incisive move down the left which ended with Wirtz’s final delivery.
Palace were denied a leveller when Eberechi Eze was denied by a great stop from Alisson Becker, the Palace forward was released by Adam Wharton following a forward burst from midfield.
The South Londoners kept plugging away and were rewarded with an equaliser 12 minutes from time when Adam Wharton hustled Cody Gakpo into losing the ball as Sarr burst clear before firing in off the upright.
And Sarr might have given Palace the lead moments later when he was through on goal yet again only for Kerkez to save the day by deflecting his shot over the bar. He was released by Wharton who was the heartbeat of Palace’s midfield.
Palace had the chance to snatch victory in the five minutes of added time when substitute Justin Devenny, who had only just replaced the injured Guehi, fired narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area.
And so to the shootout which provided drama as Liverpool missed three of their kicks and Palace two with Devenny, who only came on in stoppage time, firing home the winner with the 10th and final kick with Glasner praising the 21-year-old rookie for volunteering to take the decisive penalty.