After a 1-1 draw at Wembley, Manchester City defeated Manchester United 7-6 on penalties on Saturday to win the Community Shield. This was their way of exacting revenge for their FA Cup final loss.
Alejandro Garnacho gave United the lead in the 89th minute, and Bernardo Silva leveled things up in the final ten minutes, setting off an exciting finale.
Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans were unable to score for United, and Pep Guardiola’s team ultimately prevailed in a lengthy shootout.
With their record-breaking four straight Premier League titles, City is winning the season opener for the first time in that run, having lost the previous three to Arsenal, Leicester, and Liverpool.
The English champions were severely hampered by the absence of a series of key players due to their late return to pre-season after competing at Euro 2024 and the Copa America.
After their efforts to get to the Euro 2024 final, City’s English trio of Phil Foden, John Stones, and Kyle Walker, along with Spain’s Rodri, the midfielder, have not yet returned to training.
By contrast, United boss Erik ten Hag showed his desperation to win more silverware by thrusting teenager Kobbie Mainoo straight back into the heart of the action after his starring role for England in Germany.
Despite also leaving Kevin De Bruyne and Silva on the bench, City controlled the game early on with the electric Jeremy Doku causing havoc down the left.
James McAtee could be handed his chance to shine this season by Pep Guardiola with Julian Alvarez set to join Atletico Madrid.
And McAtee, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, was inches away from making his mark with a curling effort that came back off the post midway through the first half.
Ten Hag’s job is widely believed to have been saved by beating City back in May and he will feel his side should have got the better of their rivals once more.
United were being starved of possession but still managed to create the better of the chances.
When halftime drew near, Amad Diallo ought to have taken a shot on goal instead of attempting to square up to Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes started in an unfamiliar centre-forward role due to the absence of Rasmus Hojlund through injury and a lack of match fitness for Joshua Zirkzee.
The United captain thought he had opened the scoring with a stunning strike on the hour mark that was ruled out for offside.
Garnacho was introduced for the final half-hour and brought more pace and invention to the United attack.
The Argentine teed up Marcus Rashford, who could only hit the post with just Ederson to beat.
Garnacho thought he had won the game on 82 minutes as he jinked inside the City defence and fired low into the corner.
However, City rallied and levelled in the final minute of the 90 when Oscar Bobb’s cross was headed in by Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder was then the first to miss in the shoot-out as his effort was saved by Andre Onana.
Sancho, though, experienced more penalty woe at Wembley after missing in the final of Euro 2020 for England.
His spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Ederson, who then fired in himself to keep City alive.
Evans gave City the chance to win it when he blazed over.
And it was a story of redemption for Manuel Akanji, the center back who scored the game-winning goal after saving a penalty that cost Switzerland against England in their quarterfinal Euros match.
