In a thrilling encounter at Wembley, FA Cup holders Crystal Palace defeated Premier League champions Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Community Shield. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson was the hero for Palace, saving penalties from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah sent his effort over the bar. This allowed 21-year-old midfielder Justin Devenny to score the winning penalty past Alisson.
Palace’s win marks a significant milestone in the club’s history, having not won a major trophy until this year. The victory adds to their FA Cup triumph, earned just a matter of months ago at Wembley. Notably, Palace became the first team to win the Community Shield on their debut in 50 years, since Derby County in 1975.
The match was filled with drama from the start. Liverpool’s new £116m signing, Florian Wirtz, combined with Hugo Ekitike to score the opening goal in just the fourth minute. However, Palace equalized 13 minutes later when Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a penalty after Virgil van Dijk fouled Ismaila Sarr.
Liverpool took the lead soon after when Jeremie Frimpong’s chip bounced off the post and into the net. However, Palace fought back and equalized again in the second half when Sarr was played onside by Frimpong and scored. The match ended 2-2, leading to a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Henderson’s saves from Mac Allister and Elliott proved crucial. Salah’s missed penalty sealed the win for Palace, with Devenny scoring the decisive spot-kick.
