TheCable

Manchester City defeated Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after both sides played out an entertaining 1-1 at Wembley stadium to retain the FA Community Shield.

Raheem Sterling gave the Premier League winners the lead but Liverpool’s Joel Matip cancelled the advantage 13 minutes from time to force penalty shootout.

It was City’s sixth triumph from their thirteenth appearance in the traditional curtain raiser to the new English football season.

After both clubs exchanged chances in the opening minutes, the best of which saw Mohamed Salah shoot wide six yards out from Roberto Firmino’s pass, the EPL winners took the lead on 12 minutes via Raheem Sterling.

A quick free kick from Kyle Walker found its way to Silva — in his 15th Wembley appearance — who flicks it for Sterling to poke beyond goalkeeper Alisson Becker despite the Brazilian’s best effort to keep it out.

Liverpool should have levelled five minutes later but Salah, again, wasted a good opening after outpacing Oleksandr Zinchenko on the flank. The Egyptian speedster tried to catch Bravo at the near post despite several players waiting for a cut-back cross.

The second period started just like the first and City almost doubled their lead minutes after the restart, with goalscorer, Sterling hitting the post after being released by Silva’s through ball.

Not to be outdone by the Citizens, an improved Jurgen Klopp’s side hit the bar twice; with towering defender, Virgil van Dijk finding the woodwork from a corner kick while Salah also found the base of the post from the edge of the area moments later.

Liverpool continued to threaten through set pieces and would eventually equalize through substitute, Joel Matip in the 77th minute. The Germany-born former Cameroon international nodded in Dijk’s lobbed cross from the far post for his fourth Liverpool goal.

The Merseyside club had rattled Guardiola’s side who looked to catch them, playing a high defence line, on the counter attack but it would be Klopp’s changes who should have won it in regulation time.

Naby Keita, another substitute, had his shot from just outside the box palmed away by Bravo, who also denied Salah (twice) and Xerdan Shaqiri (once).

Kyle Walker would deny Liverpool from winning the game at the death, sprinting 30 yards back to make an acrobatic goal-line clearance from a wasteful Mo’ Salah effort to force the game into penalty shoot-out.

City’s keeper would be the hero at Wembley, saving Giorgino Wijnaldum’s spot-kick as City converted all their kicks to win 5-4 on penalties, extending their unbeaten record at Wembley to eight games.