Manchester City emerged victorious in the Manchester derby, which ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes and was decided in a penalty shootout (7-6) for the first time. The drama unfolded in favor of Manchester City, allowing them to celebrate their first trophy of the season. Under the guidance of coach Pep Guardiola, the team put an end to a streak of three consecutive losses in the Community Shield final. This victory marked the seventh triumph for the Citizens in the English Super Cup, the third under the leadership of the Spanish coach.
The Community Shield final featured the finalists of the previous season’s FA Cup for the eighth time in history. Manchester United had claimed victory in the FA Cup, and coach Erik ten Hag aimed to continue their success with another triumph. However, it was Manchester City and their young players who dominated the opening stages of the match. Oscar Bobb had a chance to open the scoring midway through the first half but sent his shot over the crossbar. Bobb continued to trouble the United defense, setting up James McAtee for a shot that hit the post.
Manchester United’s first significant opportunity came almost half an hour into the game when Amad Diallo made a promising run down the right flank into the penalty area but failed to hit the target with his shot. Marcus Rashford followed up with a shot from a good position after a nice combination play, but he was unable to find the back of the net.
After the halftime break, Manchester United came out rejuvenated. The game transitioned from a scrappy affair to a calm and balanced contest without many errors, culminating in a beautiful strike from Bruno Fernandes from outside the box. However, the joy of the fantastic goal was short-lived as the assistant referee ruled Fernandes offside during the initial build-up.
The match dynamics changed with several substitutions shortly after the hour mark. The climax came in the final ten minutes, starting with Rashford hitting the post. In the 82nd minute, Alejandro Garnacho broke the deadlock with a shot into the bottom right corner. However, Bernardo Silva dampened the celebrations on one half of the stands by equalizing seven minutes later. Bobb, who had been outstanding throughout the game, delivered a light cross from the goal line, and Silva outjumped Facundo Pellistri to send the match into penalties.
The final drama unfolded in the eighth penalty shootout, with experienced United defender Jonny Evans failing to convert his spot-kick. Manuel Akanji seized the opportunity to secure victory for Manchester City over their city rivals and put an end to their three consecutive losses in the Community Shield final.
The Premier League schedule.