Crystal Palace Beat Liverpool on Penalties to Win Thrilling Community Shield

In a dramatic penalty shootout, Crystal Palace defeated Liverpool 3-2 to lift the Community Shield after a 2-2 draw in regular time at Wembley. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson emerged as the hero, saving spot-kicks from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah missed Liverpool’s first penalty.

The Match
Liverpool took an early lead in the 4th minute, with debutant Hugo Ekitike scoring after a well-worked play by fellow new signing Florian Wirtz. Palace equalized in the 17th minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a penalty following Virgil van Dijk’s foul on Ismaila Sarr.

The Premier League champions regained the lead just four minutes later, as another debutant, Jeremie Frimpong, saw his attempted cross loop over Henderson and into the net. However, Sarr leveled the score again in the 77th minute with a fine finish from Adam Wharton’s pass, sending the game to penalties.

Tributes and Controversy
Before kickoff, an emotional tribute was paid to Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically died in a car accident in July. A minute of silence was disrupted by a small group of Palace fans, who also displayed banners criticizing UEFA.

Penalty Drama
In the shootout, Salah blasted his penalty over the bar, while Mateta gave Palace the lead. Henderson then made crucial saves from Mac Allister and Elliott. Youngster Justin Devenny sealed the victory with a powerful strike, securing the trophy for the Eagles.

Match Details

• Crystal Palace 2 (3) – Mateta (pen), Sarr

• Liverpool 2 (2) – Ekitike, Frimpong

• Venue: Wembley Stadium, London

• Referee: Chris Kavanagh

With this win, Palace adds another trophy to their cabinet after May’s FA Cup triumph, while Liverpool rues a missed opportunity in their first final under new manager Arne Slot.