Manchester City ended their Community Shield final losing streak by defeating Manchester United in a penalty shootout. The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Alejandro Garnacho and Bernardo Silva scoring the goals that led to the shootout.
Manuel Akanji sealed the victory for City by converting the decisive penalty, while Johnny Evans missed his spot-kick for United. Erling Braut Haaland also found the back of the net during the shootout, with Bernardo Silva and Jadon Sancho missing penalties for their respective teams.
The Community Shield is traditionally played between the reigning Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners. City had suffered defeats in the previous three finals, losing to Leicester City in 2021, Liverpool in 2022, and Arsenal in the previous year. However, they managed to break the losing streak with a solid performance against United.
Norwegian youngster Oscar Bobb played a key role in City’s victory, providing the assist for Bernardo Silva’s late equalizer. Garnacho had put United ahead with just ten minutes remaining, but City fought back to level the score.
Haaland, who started the game for City, had a quiet outing and struggled to create clear-cut chances. Jason McAtee came close to scoring in the first half, hitting the post with a shot set up by Bobb. United thought they had taken the lead through Bruno Fernandes, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
In the final minutes of the game, Garnacho scored a brilliant goal for United, only for Bernardo Silva to equalize for City shortly after. The match ended in a draw, leading to a penalty shootout where City emerged victorious.
Looking ahead, Manchester United will face Fulham in the opening game of the Premier League season, while City will take on Chelsea two days later. City will be aiming to defend their Premier League title, having won the league for the past four consecutive seasons.
Overall, Manchester City’s triumph in the Community Shield final against Manchester United was a hard-fought victory that ended their recent run of final defeats. With the new season on the horizon, both teams will be looking to build on this performance and make a strong start to their respective campaigns.