Crystal Palace crush PL champions, Liverpool to clinch the first silverware of the season – The Community shield at Wembley.
FA cup champions, Crystal Palace faced league champions Liverpool, in the Community Shield, which has always been the curtain raiser for the new English Premier League season. Prior to the start of the game, Liverpool were tagged the clear favourites to win the trophy. They have their league winning squad intact and have done some good business in the transfer market, bringing in new players to augment the squad. Despite all this strength and improvements, Crystal Palace crushed them in a dramatic fashion to win the cup. The game ended 2-2 in normal and extra time, which took the game to penalties, where Palace won by 3-2.
Liverpool came into the game with a strong lineup a 4-2-3-1 formation. Alisson Berker started in post, with Frimpong, Van Dijk, Konate and Milos Kerkez as the back four. Curtis Jones and Szoboslai formed the double pivot for the merseyside team. Salah on the right, Gakpo on the left and Wirtz as the Attacking Midfielder, ensured that they created enough chances and attacking threat, complimenting the lone striker, Hugo Ekitike.
Palace, however, paraded with a 3-back system. Dean Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Lema, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta and Eze, started the game for Palace who crashed Liverpool to win the title.
Before the start of the game, a one-minute silence was observed for the late Diogo Jota, who passed away in a tragic road accident, in July.
Liverpool started the game well, with Hugo Ekitike scoring the first goal for the Reds. Ekitike pounced on a sweet pass from Florian Wirtz to put the ball at the back of the net. However, this was immediately followed by a horrendous tackle from Van Dijk on Sarr in the penalty box which resulted in a penalty for Crystal Palace. Mateta strike the ball at the back of the net from 12 yards out to make it 1-1. This setback was not enough to discourage Liverpool as they immediately responded with another goal, from new signing, Jeremy Frimpong who strikes the ball from far out, with an incredible techinque to end the half, with the league champions leading.
Crystal Palace levelled up in the second half, with Sarr scoring to make it 2-2. this scoreline dragged on through to the end of extra time. The rest of the game did not go without controversies as Crystal Palace were denied a penalty, when the ball clearly struck the hand of Mac Allister, with the hand in an unnatural position. After this incident many felt Palace were being robbed as that was a clear handball in the penalty box and should have been given as a penalty to Palace.
The game ended 2-2, with penalty shootouts the only way to separate the two sides. Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah took the spot kick first, and shockingly skies the ball, missing Liverpool’s first spot kick. Palace Captain Mateta stepped up and slotted the ball home. Crystal Palace went ahead to beat Liverpool, as Salah, Mac Allister and Harvey Elliot missed from the spot, with Dean Henderson saving two of those penalties.
Crystal Palace have won their second trophy under Oliver Glasner, winning the FA cup and Community Shield in such a sort amount of time at the helm. The Loss for Liverpool raises genuine concerns. Many wonder if the team is ready to defend the PL title. It may seem as though these set of players will need a lot more connection and telepathy on the pitch. Is this game a reflection on what may happen in the forthcoming season? Posterity will be the best answer to that.
