Crystal Palace and Liverpool end in a 2-2 draw, with the Community Shield being decided by a penalty shootout. Jordan Henderson's heroics in the shootout secured the victory for Liverpool.
Crystal Palace Clinch Community Shield in Thrilling Penalty Shootout
In a historic moment for Crystal Palace, the South London club clinched their first-ever Community Shield title on Sunday, triumphing over Premier League champions Liverpool in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
The match, played at Wembley, ended in a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, necessitating a shootout to decide the winner. Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was the hero of the day, saving two penalties to secure the victory for his team.
Justin Devenny, who came off the bench to take the decisive penalty, calmly converted to give Crystal Palace a 3-2 lead in the shootout. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, who missed his team's first penalty, hitting it over the crossbar, couldn't prevent the defeat.
The victory marks Crystal Palace's debut in the Community Shield, making it a particularly sweet triumph for the club. It also represents their only Community Shield appearance and win to date, a significant milestone in the club’s history.
The match was not short on drama. Hugo Ekitike, one of Liverpool's new signings, scored the earliest goal for Liverpool in a final since Mohamed Salah scored against Tottenham in the 2018-19 Champions League final. Ekitike's goal involved nine of Liverpool's 11 players in a passing move that lasted 66 seconds.
Crystal Palace responded quickly, with Ismaila Sarr equalising shortly after. Jeremie Frimpong gave Liverpool the lead again, but Sarr levelled the score once more before the end of regular time, setting the stage for the thrilling penalty shootout.
The victory continues a trend in the Community Shield, with FA Cup winners now beating the Premier League champions in seven of the last nine showpiece matches. However, it's worth noting that none of the last five Community Shield winners have gone on to win the Premier League title in the same season.
Crystal Palace have also shown a strong record at Wembley, winning five of their seven matches at the new stadium when used as a neutral venue. This victory will undoubtedly boost their confidence as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League season.
The match saw four different players making their Liverpool debuts, but it was Crystal Palace who emerged victorious, securing a memorable start to the 2025-26 season. Borna Sosa, a new signing for Crystal Palace, missed the winning penalty for Palace, hitting it off the crossbar, but his error didn't dampen the team's spirits as they celebrated their historic victory.
The victorious Crystal Palace, having secured their debut Community Shield, will undoubtedly be eyeing success in this season's European-leagues, especially considering their strong form at Wembley. This year's Community Shield win is significant, marking the first time they have claimed the title, thus becoming part of the Premier-League champions' worthy opponents in the history books.
