Crystal Palace claimed its second trophy in just a few months, stunning Premier League champions Liverpool in a dramatic FA Community Shield victory at Wembley.
The London club triumphed 3-2 in a tense penalty shootout after twice coming from behind during regular time.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson emerged as the hero, saving spot-kicks from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah’s opening penalty sailed over the bar. Palace also missed twice, but successful conversions from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaïla Sarr, and Justin Devenny sealed the upset. The win continues a remarkable run under manager Oliver Glasner, with Palace having beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup last season and now lifting silverware at Wembley three times in four months.
Liverpool, despite their disappointment, saw encouraging signs from a £269 million summer recruitment drive. New signings Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong all impressed, with Ekitike opening the scoring in the fourth minute after combining with Wirtz. Frimpong doubled the lead with a lofted finish from a tight angle, showing why he was brought in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Palace hit back quickly. Mateta equalised from the penalty spot on 17 minutes after Virgil van Dijk fouled Sarr in the box. In the second half, Palace looked the more dangerous side and were rewarded in the 77th minute when Adam Wharton’s precise through ball found Sarr, who calmly beat Alisson at the near post. Moments later, Sarr was denied a second by Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez, while a VAR check for handball against Mac Allister went in the Reds’ favour.
The match, the first competitive fixture of the season, ended level after 90 minutes with no extra time, setting the stage for Henderson’s shootout heroics.
The game was played under a sombre shadow following the deaths of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in a car accident in Spain. Before kick-off, Liverpool legend Ian Rush, Palace chairman Steve Parish, and FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt laid wreaths, and a minute’s silence was observed. Cheers for Jota were still echoing when Frimpong scored Liverpool’s second.
For Palace, this victory cements a golden period in the club’s history, proving once again that Glasner’s side can compete with — and beat — England’s biggest clubs on the biggest stages. Liverpool, meanwhile, will regroup with eyes on defending their league crown, buoyed by flashes of promise from their high-profile arrivals.
