Liverpool Falter on Penalties as Crystal Palace Secure First-Ever Community Shield Title
Crystal Palace stunned Premier League champions Liverpool in the 2025 Community Shield, claiming a dramatic penalty shootout win after a thrilling 2–2 draw in regulation time at Wembley. Despite two early goals from Liverpool’s marquee summer signings, the Eagles clawed their way back twice before Dean Henderson’s heroics in the shootout sealed a memorable win.
This annual curtain-raiser may be considered unofficial silverware, but both sides treated it as anything but, delivering an energetic contest that offered plenty of insight ahead of the new season.
Ekitiké Impresses, Raising Questions About Isak Pursuit
All eyes were on Liverpool’s new-look attack, and Hugo Ekitiké wasted no time in making a statement. The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker opened the scoring inside four minutes with a clinical finish, becoming the fastest goalscorer in Community Shield history.
Linking up superbly with fellow new arrival Florian Wirtz, Ekitiké displayed the all-round qualities that made him one of Europe’s hottest prospects. His intelligent movement, silky touches, and selfless creativity—highlighted by a deft assist in the buildup to a Cody Gakpo chance—suggest that Liverpool may already have their ideal No. 9.
With reports of a big-money move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak still swirling, Ekitiké’s performance might prompt Liverpool to reconsider splashing out. The Frenchman offers a similar profile and could make the pursuit of another striker redundant—especially considering other glaring issues in the squad.
Defensive Fragility Remains Liverpool’s Achilles’ Heel
Arne Slot’s side may be fluid in attack, but defensively, cracks are starting to show. Despite their dominance in possession and attacking phases, Liverpool looked far too open during transitions. Crystal Palace capitalized with well-timed central surges, particularly late in the match.
Virgil van Dijk, coming off a Ballon d’Or-nominated campaign, had a day to forget. He gave away a clumsy penalty for Palace’s first equalizer, then misjudged a challenge that allowed Ismaïla Sarr to burst through and score the second. With Liverpool’s defensive depth looking thin, particularly in central areas, the Dutchman’s off-day could be more concerning than a mere blip.
Slot has revamped much of his squad this summer, but until he finds the right balance in his backline, Liverpool’s title ambitions could be compromised.
Henderson the Hero Yet Again
Dean Henderson’s Wembley legacy continues to grow. Just months after his crucial penalty save in Palace’s FA Cup final win, the English shot-stopper was once again the difference from 12 yards.
With the score locked at 2–2 after 90 minutes and no extra time played, penalties were required for the third straight year. Henderson denied both Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Mohamed Salah blazed over the bar—his second consecutive penalty miss in as many appearances.
Although Borna Sosa missed the chance to win it early, Justin Devenny coolly slotted home the decisive penalty, securing Palace’s first-ever Community Shield triumph.
What It Means Moving Forward
For Crystal Palace, this win marks another step forward under Oliver Glasner, signaling their growing ability to challenge the Premier League elite. For Liverpool, it’s a timely reminder that attacking flair alone won’t carry them to trophies—especially with defensive issues still unresolved.
As the 2025–26 campaign approaches, both sides will take lessons from Wembley—some more painful than others.
