Palace Edge Liverpool on Penalties to Claim First Community Shield

• Aug 11, 2025

Crystal Palace twice came from behind to force a 2-2 draw before beating Liverpool 3-2 on penalties to win their first-ever Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.

Liverpool’s high-profile summer signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong both found the net, but Palace hit back through Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr. The Eagles then held their nerve in a tense shootout, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson saving from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah fired over.

The victory adds to Palace’s growing reputation after they lifted their first major trophy in May by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The match carried emotional weight for Liverpool, whose preparations for the season were overshadowed by tragedy. Forward Diogo Jota died in a car accident alongside his brother, Andre Silva, earlier in the summer. Before kick-off, Liverpool legend Ian Rush and Palace chairman Steve Parish laid wreaths on the pitch, and Reds fans displayed banners in Jota’s memory. A minute’s silence was held, though it was cut short due to crowd disturbances. Players wore a “Forever 20” emblem in tribute to Jota’s shirt number, which will be retired.

Liverpool started strongly, with Ekitike — a £69 million signing from Eintracht Frankfurt — scoring just four minutes in from Florian Wirtz’s pass. Palace equalized when Sarr was tripped by Virgil van Dijk, allowing Mateta to convert from the spot.

Frimpong restored Liverpool’s lead before halftime with a chipped cross that caught Henderson off guard. Ekitike missed a chance to extend the advantage early in the second half, firing over from another Wirtz assist.

Palace remained dangerous, exploiting Liverpool’s defensive gaps. Thirteen minutes from time, Sarr latched onto Adam Wharton’s through ball and calmly finished for his fourth goal in seven appearances against the Reds.

With no extra time, the match went straight to penalties. Henderson’s heroics, combined with Justin Devenny’s decisive strike past Alisson, sealed a historic win for Palace.

For new Liverpool manager Arne Slot, the defeat highlighted ongoing defensive concerns despite an attacking display from his expensive new recruits. For Palace, it marked another milestone in a remarkable year for the club.