LONDON: Manchester City avenged their FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United in the FA Community Shield at Wembley – though it took a late equaliser for a 1-1 draw and eventual 7-6 win on penalties after the Community Shield had finished level at Wembley.
Alejandro Garnacho thought he had given United victory nine minutes from time when he climaxed a flowing move by shooting low into the bottom corner.
City’s Bernardo Silva was booked for barging into Garnacho but the midfielder’s next intervention was far more positive, with an equalising close-range header.
In the shootout Silva had his City’s first spot-kick saved by Andre Onana but Ederson then saved from Jadon Sancho, Jonny Evans shot too high and Manuel Akanji secured City’s first Shield victory since 2019 in front of 78,416.
Earlier both sides had hit the posts, James McAtee for City and Marcus Rashford for United.
Interested spectators included newly-appointed interim England manager Lee Carsley.
City manager Pep Guardiola was full of his praise for a team missing many seniors, saying: “They have the standards to be here. They have the confidence, the squad adore them and can rely on them. [Oscar] Bobb made a fantastic game, like he has done all pre-season, and [James] McAtee was what we want him to be.”
City have won the Premier League title four years in a row and again will be the team to beat in 2024-25.
They have won 18 trophies since Guardiola joined in 2016 – six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup and now three Community Shields.
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