Manchester City triumphed over Manchester United in the Community Shield, winning 7-6 on penalties after a match that ended 1-1 at Wembley on Saturday. The decisive penalty was scored by Manuel Akanji after Jonny Evans missed his attempt.
City, the reigning Premier League champions, were looking to recover from a recent defeat to United in the FA Cup final. In this match, United took the lead in the 82nd minute with a goal from Alejandro Garnacho. However, City responded with a late equalizer from Bernardo Silva, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Akanji secured the victory for City following Silva’s earlier miss. United’s Jonny Evans and Jadon Sancho also failed to convert their penalties.
United almost scored first in the second half when Bruno Fernandes found the net with a remarkable long-range effort, but the goal was ruled offside. Following Garnacho’s goal, Silva found the equalizer from close range, setting the stage for the penalties.
This victory marked City’s first Community Shield win since 2019, breaking a series of defeats in the tournament against Arsenal, Liverpool, and Leicester City in previous years.
City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating, “To start the season with a title is good. We are really pleased.” He acknowledged the challenges posed by United but emphasized the importance of focusing on the next game rather than resting on this success.
Due to the absence of several key England players, Guardiola fielded a youthful lineup that displayed strong possession throughout the match. United, despite their defeat, manager Erik ten Hag noted the positives from the performance, highlighting their ability to challenge City and create several scoring opportunities.
As the Premier League season approaches, Manchester City will face Chelsea on August 18, while Manchester United will kick off their campaign against Fulham this Friday.