Manchester City beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to retain the Community Shield in an absorbing contest at Wembley.
Georginio Wijnaldum was the only player to miss from 12 yards as Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Sliva, Phil Foden, Oleksandr Zinchenko all netted for City before Gabriel Jesus struck the winning spot-kick.
Raheem Sterling had earlier opened the scoring with a close-range finish in the 12th minute as City started the better side but Liverpool grew stronger as the match wore on and substitute Joel Matip deservedly equalised with 13 minutes remaining.
READ: Traditional rulers key to peace building — Gov. Wike
Nine of the starting line-up from Liverpool’s Champions League Final victory over Tottenham in June began here with only Joel Matip and Sadio Mane absent.
City opted to leave Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus on the bench after the pair recently returned from Copa America duty but £62.8million summer signing Rodri anchored the midfield while Leroy Sane – heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich – started on the left.
After Mohamed Salah wasted a good early opportunity – the first of many – by dragging a shot wide from 12 yards, Sane was involved in the moment which turned the match in City’s favour.
The Germany winger was forced off injured following a collision with Trent Alexander-Arnold and as City were readying Jesus to replace him, Zinchenko worked the resulting free-kick short to Kyle Walker.
His angled ball found Kevin De Bruyne on City’s left and he picked out David Silva who in turn helped it on brilliantly to Sterling, lurking just inside the six-yard box.
Sterling’s left-foot shot was weak but it carried enough pace to squirm under Alisson and into the net.
Salah hit the post as Liverpool looked to respond before City boss Pep Guardiola became the first manager in English football to receive a yellow card – a new sanction for the 2019-20 season – after protesting furiously as Silva writhed in pain following a challenge from Joe Gomez.
Liverpool improved after the restart and thought they had equalised when Virgil van Dijk met Alexander-Arnold’s corner with a deft half-volley which hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear. Replays showed only just over half of the ball had crossed the line.
Salah then hit the post as City began to wobble, an uncertainty Guardiola sought to rectify by introducing Gundogan for Silva on the hour mark.
Sterling could have settled their nerves seconds later when sent clear by Walker but when faced with the choice of shooting or returning the ball to the onrushing Walker as Alisson came to close him down, the England international did neither and fluffed a glorious opportunity.
Liverpool continued to enjoy the better of the second period, dominating possession to a significant extent, and eventually they restored parity. Jordan Henderson swung over a free-kick which City could only clear to Van Dijk, who helped the ball into the box and Matip, on for Alexander-Arnold ten minutes earlier, nodded past Claudio Bravo.
Bravo then made smart saves from another substitute, Naby Keita, and Salah as Liverpool threatened to win it in normal time.
READ: El-Zakzaky trial: Police beef up security in Kaduna
In a frantic finale, the City goalkeeper needed Walker to keep out Salah in stoppage-time after saving his first effort, as he headed the rebound goalwards. Walker acrobatically cleared off the line, meaning penalties determined their fate.
