Drama at Wembley Culminates in Palace Glory
Crystal Palace lifted their first-ever FA Community Shield after the 2025 season curtain-raiser ended 2–2 in regular time before they edged out Liverpool 3–2 on penalties at Wembley on Sunday. Liverpool struck first through new signing Hugo Ekitike in the fourth minute, but Palace hit back via a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty. Jeremie Frimpong restored the Reds’ lead, only for Ismaïla Sarr to level the match in the 77th minute, forcing a shootout. Crystal Palace then held their nerve—Dean Henderson saved spot-kicks by Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, and Justin Devenny converted the winning penalty, delivering the trophy to South London.
Keeper’s Cheat Sheet and Season Context
Palace’s victory caps an extraordinary few months for the club, following their historic first FA Cup triumph back in May. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson emerged as the unlikely hero again—he was spotted consulting a towel-wrapped “cheat sheet” on his water bottle during the shootout, a quirk he attributed to solid behind-the-scenes preparation.
With this win, manager Oliver Glasner continues to prove that a well-drilled squad can deliver silverware—even amid ownership questions around European qualification.
