Crystal Palace pulled off a stunning upset on Sunday, thrashing Liverpool 3-2 on penalties to win the Community Shield for the first time in the club’s history after a 2-2 draw at Wembley.
Liverpool’s new £69m signing Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring just four minutes into the match, finishing off a pass from fellow new boy Florian Wirtz. Palace hit back through Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Jeremie Frimpong restored Liverpool’s lead early in the second half. Ismaila Sarr then made it 2-2, forcing a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Mohamed Salah blasted his penalty over the bar, while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Palace held their nerve to seal the win, adding another trophy to their cabinet after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.
The match carried extra emotion for Liverpool following the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident alongside his brother. Fans held banners and flags in tribute, though a planned minute’s silence was cut short due to disturbances in the crowd.
Liverpool had fielded all four of their big summer signings — Ekitike, Wirtz, Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez — in what was the first competitive game under new manager Arne Slot.
For Palace, making their first appearance in the fixture, the win marks another milestone in a historic year for the club.
