Manuel Akanji nets decisive spot kick to win first silverware of the season
Manchester City vanquished their recent FA Cup Final demons with a penalty shootout victory over rivals United in the Community Shield, following a lacklustre 1-1 draw between the two sides.
Just over two months after the teams last met at Wembley, in which United emerged victorious with a well-executed 2-1 victory over the Blues (who had a rare off day), the two sides met again to contest the season curtain opener.
City were without Rodri, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones, all of whom featured in the Euro 2024 final. United, meanwhile, had most of their senior players back in the squad, including cup final goal scorer Kobbie Mainoo who had also featured in the Berlin showpiece. The reds fielded a relatively strong starting XI, featuring Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez, and Bruno Fernandes whereas City began with a slightly more inexperienced team, inclduing youth talents such as Nico O’Reilly, James Mcatee, and Oscar Bobb. The latter is tipped to have a big season for Pep Guardiola's side.
City got off to a good start with a range of chances in the opening half hour. Bobb and Jeremy Doku looked threatening, whilst James McAtee struck a post. The seemed to sharpen United's focus, and they began to look more dangerous in attacking the City goal. A big chance fell to Marcus Rashford, but the beleagured striker blazed it wide keeping the scoreline goalless at the end of the first half.
Despite both sides failing to register, there were positive signs for either manager, with City’s youth talent starting to impress and United’s midfield proving dangerous in quickly getting the ball into pivotal areas.
The second half saw more close chances for City in the earlier stages, including opportunities for star striker Erling Haaland, who had a rare off day, prolonging his frustrating streak of not being able to score at Wembley. Perhaps the most frustrating missed chance of the second half came from a United attack in the 74th minute. The City defence was caught off guard but a pass from United sub Garnacho was not converted by Rashford, missing his second big chance of the match.
Finally, in the 81st minute, the deadlock was broken with a strike in the far corner of the net by Garnacho to give United the lead. With City looking deflated in the second half, many reds were convinced the game was won.
United celebrations turned out to be premature, however. After going 1-0 down, City held their own and with a good forward move by Bobb, the ball fell to City substitute Bernardo Silva who headed it in to send the match to penalties.
The shootout took place at the United end, and the reds were given an early advantage when City goal scorer Bernardo had his shot saved, after his Portugal teammate Fernandes scored United’s first penalty. Diogo Dalot converted to give United a 2-0 lead in the shootout, piling on more pressure on City, but they held their own with Kevin De Bruyne keeping the Blues in it. United goal scorer Garnacho scored without much fuss, which was then followed by Haaland converting his penalty after some unusual antics by Andre Onana, who appeared to be implying to Haaland that he should shoot to the right. Haaland went to the left, sending Onana the wrong way.
United’s first blunder came through former City academy product Jadon Sancho, whose shot was knocked on to the post and out by Ederson. With the scores eventually tied at 6-6, it was veteran Jonny Evan’s turn to take a penalty and the pressure was too much to handle. The veteran defender blazed it over the bar, giving City one hand on the trophy. Manuel Akanji, who missed his penalty against England in the Euros, had no such bad luck this time, converting cooly straight into the top of the net and winning the Community Shield for City.
The result was fourth time lucky for City, who had lost their previous three Community Shield games against Leicester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal, although on each occasion they went on to win the Premier League. Guardiola seemed pleased with the eventual victory, starting off the season as he means to go on with a trophy.
Despite the defeat, there are positives to be taken away for Erik Ten Hag’s United team, who once again prevented City from beating them in regulation time at Wembley, as well as having dominant periods of play, with individual errors such as Rashford’s misses being what let them down on this particular day.