Palace and Liverpool end in a 2-2 draw after regular time, with the Community Shield being decided by a penalty shootout. Jordan Henderson's heroics in the shootout seal the victory for Liverpool.
In a thrilling encounter at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Crystal Palace and Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw, resulting in a tense penalty shootout that saw Crystal Palace emerge victorious (3-2).
The game began with Liverpool taking an early lead, as Hugo Ekitike, making his debut for the Reds, scored the earliest goal for Liverpool in a final since Mohamed Salah's goal against Tottenham in the 2018-19 Champions League final. Jeremie Frimpong was the scorer for Liverpool in the 21st minute.
Crystal Palace responded swiftly, with Ismaila Sarr netting an equaliser for the Eagles. Jean-Philippe Mateta then scored a penalty to level the game at 2-2, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
The match ended in a draw, sending the game into a penalty shootout. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah missed the first penalty, hitting it over the bar, while Dean Henderson saved penalties from Mac Allister and Elliott for Crystal Palace.
In the deciding moments of the shootout, Borna Sosa had a chance to win it for Crystal Palace but his effort hit the crossbar. Justin Devenny, however, stepped up to score the match-winning penalty, clinching the Community Shield for Crystal Palace.
This victory marked Crystal Palace's inaugural Community Shield win and came shortly after their first major trophy, the FA Cup, which they secured earlier that year. Crystal Palace have now won five out of seven matches at the new Wembley when used as a neutral venue.
Interestingly, the historical record of Crystal Palace in Community Shield matches against Premier League champions at the new Wembley is very limited but notably successful. This 2025 match was their first in this specific context, and they managed to win it, improving their record to 1 win from 1 appearance.
Four different players made their Liverpool debuts in the match, but it was Crystal Palace who celebrated the Community Shield triumph. This result bucked the trend of the last five Community Shield winners not going on to win the Premier League title in the same season, and it will be interesting to see how both teams fare in the upcoming season.
In the historic 2025 Community Shield match, Crystal Palace, participating against Premier League champions, demonstrated impressive European-leagues performance, especially in the English Premier League. Ismaila Sarr's equalizing goal for Crystal Palace showcased their resilience in football, even against strong opposition like Liverpool.
