Crystal Palace 2-2 (3-2 on pens.) Liverpool
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have won the Community Shield for the first time in their history after a penalty shootout decided the destiny of the first available piece of silverware of the new season.
The 2025 Community Shield was, as ever, a glitzy affair as the curtain-raiser for the new Premier League campaign and FA Cup winners Palace gave as good as they got from the favourites to win the league again this season. Arne Slot’s Liverpool started the game strongly and were 2-1 up at the break, but the Eagles stuck to their task and, after a late equaliser they held their nerve to win a frankly sub standard shootout.
But the 90+ minutes which preceded the penalty sudden death were superb value and there was no shortage of Community Shield 2025 highlights, so let’s take you through the goal action.
Highlights of the game
Without Luis Diaz, who has been transferred to Bayern Munich, and Darwin Nunez who has just signed a deal to join Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, this was a new look Liverpool front line; and their big money signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, Hugo Ekitike, introduced himself to the English fans with just four minutes on the clock. Two other new signings, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, combined well before playing in Ekitike who had his back to the goal. The new centre forward showed great strength and guile to turn his defender and stroke the ball home to send the Liverpool fans wild, not long after they had taken their seats.
But the Londoners were level on 17 minutes. Jean Phillipe Mateta was clean through and when he tried to round Liverpool keeper Alisson, the ball broke free to Ismaila Sarr and he was felled by Virgil Van Dijk. Mateta took the spot kick and rolled the ball calmly home, sending Alisson the wrong way. The Palace fans were on their feet, but they sat back down four minutes later as Jeremie Frimpong restored Liverpool’s lead. The recently arrived wingback got close to the bi-line and chipped the ball over and, while it looked like a cross, it floated over Palace stopper Dean Henderson and into the net.
Liverpool looked comfortable in the second half until the 77th minute when Palace pressed forward and Sarr curled the ball beyond Alisson, and while the Reds tried the claim a foul in the build up the referee was unmoved…and so to penalties.
Mo Salah uncharacteristically set the tone for a shambolic shootout as he spooned his effort over the bar, and the two teams both missed two more penalties before substitute Justin Devenny kept his cool to bring the Community Shield to South London.
Key statistics
The Community Shield 2025 betting odds strongly backed Slot’s Reds to win the first prize of the 2025/26 campaign but it was a very even match, as Liverpool dominated possession by 60 per cent to 40, but Palace won the shot count by 14 to 12, with Liverpool having five on target to four.
It was a first famous win for the Eagles; but Liverpool stay on 16 Community Shield titles, one behind Arsenal and five behind Manchester United.
What’s next?
So the curtain has been well and truly raised; and now the high-octane business of the Premier League is ready to start. Slot’s Reds get their title defence underway next Friday when they host Bournemouth in the very first game of the new campaign. They follow that up with a trip to Newcastle United on Monday 25th August; and will be targeting six points in the hope they can avoid dropping behind their main rivals, three times runners up Arsenal and the most frequent champions of the last decade, Manchester City.
The Gunners have more depth than in previous campaigns, take a look at our SBOTOP assessment of how Mikel Arteta has strengthened his hand, and that was before striker Viktor Gyokores had put pen to paper. And Manchester City will be keen to wrestle back the title they held for four campaigns running before 2025.
The Eagles have a difficult opener away to Chelsea and then, the following week they have a winnable game at home to Nottingham Forest, another newcomer to the rigours of European football. But, after winning the FA Cup, the Eagles’ place in the Europa League is still in some doubt. John Textor, who owns 43 per cent of the club has a majority stake in Olympique Lyonnais who have also qualified, and two clubs under the same ownership are prohibited from competing.
If Palace miss out on Europa football, Brighton and Hove Albion, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, could be the ones to benefit… and that would be very hard to swallow for the Eagles.
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