Crystal Palace pulled off a memorable upset at Wembley on Sunday, defeating Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation time, to claim their first-ever FA Community Shield title.
Making their debut in the traditional curtain-raiser for the English football season, Palace twice came from behind against the reigning Premier League champions before holding their nerve in a tense shootout.
Liverpool’s new recruits Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong both found the net in a debut to remember.
Ekitike opened the scoring just four minutes into the game, spinning off a pass from Florian Wirtz and finishing smartly.
But Palace refused to back down. After Jean-Philippe Mateta was initially denied by Alisson, Ismaila Sarr earned a penalty when he was brought down by Virgil van Dijk. Mateta converted coolly to make it 1-1.
The Reds restored their lead through Frimpong, whose attempted cross looped into the far corner past Dean Henderson.
Still, Palace had the final say in normal time. With 13 minutes left, Adam Wharton sent a precise ball through to Sarr, who raced in and slotted home calmly, leveling the match at 2-2.
With no extra time played, the match went straight to penalties. Palace keeper Dean Henderson produced two crucial saves, denying Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah fired his effort over the bar.
Palace’s young midfielder Justin Devenny emerged as the unlikely hero, smashing in the decisive spot-kick to hand the South London club another historic win, just months after they lifted their first major trophy by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The match was overshadowed by recent heartbreak for Liverpool, following the tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother in a car accident. In a touching pre-match tribute, Ian Rush and Steve Parish, Palace’s chairman, laid wreaths on the touchline.
Liverpool’s players wore “Forever 20” badges on their shirts, a nod to Jota’s retired jersey number, and fans paid tribute with banners and a 20th-minute chant.
A moment of silence was held before kickoff but was unfortunately disrupted by sections of the crowd.
Despite heavy summer investment with Liverpool spending £260 million to bring in Ekitike, Wirtz, Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez manager Arne Slot still faces questions, particularly regarding his side’s defensive balance.
Ekitike could have had a second goal but missed a clear chance early in the second half. And while the new-look team showed attacking promise, they looked vulnerable to balls played in behind, a weakness Palace exploited consistently.
