New-look Liverpool beaten by Crystal Palace in Community Shield

FA Cup winners Crystal Palace upset Premier League champions Liverpool successful English play opening Community Shield.

Crystal Palace doubly came from down to stun a new-look Liverpool and triumph the FA Community Shield for the archetypal clip connected penalties aft a 2-2 gully astatine Wembley.

New signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scored for the Premier League champions, but Palace responded done Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr earlier winning an error-strewn shootout 3-2 connected Sunday.

Mohamed Salah blazed implicit from the spot, portion Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by an inspired Dean Henderson arsenic Palace built connected winning their archetypal ever large trophy by beating Manchester City successful May’s FA Cup final.

The accepted curtain-raiser to the English shot play was fixed other value aft a summertime marked by calamity for Liverpool.

Forward Diogo Jota was killed successful a car mishap alongside his member Andre Silva.

Reds fable Ian Rush and Palace president Steve Parish laid wreaths connected the broadside of the transportation earlier kickoff, portion the Liverpool extremity was awash with banners and flags paying tribute to the Portuguese international.

A minute’s silence, however, had to beryllium chopped abbreviated owed to disturbances successful the crowd.

Jota’s decease has dampened the excitement implicit Liverpool’s transportation spending spree to physique connected a squad that romped to a record-equalling 20th league rubric past season.

All 4 of their caller signings astatine a outgo of 260 cardinal pounds ($350m) – Ekitike, Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez – started.

Ekitike’s relation this play could beryllium connected whether Liverpool are palmy successful their pursuit of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

But the Frenchman – signed from Eintracht Frankfurt past period for an archetypal 69 cardinal pounds ($93m) – made his lawsuit to beryllium Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s preferred fig nine, nary harm astatine all.

Jean-Phillippe Mateta scores Crystal Palace’s archetypal extremity from the punishment spot during the 2025 FA Community Shield lucifer betwixt Crystal Palace and Liverpool astatine Wembley Stadium successful London [James Gill/Getty Images]

Wirtz besides bagged his archetypal assistance for the Reds erstwhile Ekitike spun onto the German’s walk and fired into the acold country successful conscionable the 4th minute.

Palace were making their first-ever quality successful the fixture, but the Eagles again showed their quality to lucifer 1 of the Premier League’s giants implicit 90 minutes.

Mateta missed a glorious accidental to level erstwhile helium failed to bushed Alisson Becker one-on-one.

But from the rebound Sarr charged into the container and was tripped by an out-of-sorts Virgil van Dijk.

Mateta coolly sent Alisson the incorrect mode from the punishment spot to equalise.

Liverpool’s players were sporting a “Forever 20” emblem, referencing Jota’s now-retired garment number, that they volition deterioration each season.

The Liverpool fans had risen to chant Jota’s sanction arsenic the crippled entered the 20th infinitesimal erstwhile their broadside retook the lead.

Frimpong’s chipped transverse caught retired Henderson and flew into the acold corner.

Ekitike wasted a large accidental for his 2nd aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional from different Wirtz pass, arsenic this clip helium fired over.

However, Slot’s new-look broadside are inactive to find the close equilibrium betwixt onslaught and defence, arsenic has been evidenced during pre-season.

Palace were a changeless menace with balls successful down the Reds defence and levelled again 13 minutes from time.

Sarr sped onto Adam Wharton’s done shot and calmly slotted past Alisson for his 4th extremity successful 7 games against Liverpool.

Liverpool besides survived a VAR reappraisal for a punishment against Mac Allister for handball earlier the lucifer went to a shootout without other time.

Youngster Justin Devenny was the improbable leader arsenic helium blasted the winning spot footwear precocious past Alisson, showing Salah, Mac Allister and Elliott however it is done.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies