LONDON (AFP) – Arsenal lifted the Community Shield to end Manchester City’s silverware streak with a 4-1 penalty shoot-out victory after a 1-1 draw against the treble winners on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s side forced the shoot-out thanks to Leandro Trossard’s heavily deflected equaliser 11 minutes into stoppage time after Cole Palmer’s superb curler put City ahead late in the second half at Wembley.
Kevin De Bruyne hit the bar with City’s first spot-kick and Rodri’s effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale before Fabio Vieira converted the decisive kick in the annual curtain-raiser to the Premier League season.
Arsenal’s celebrations were far more frenzied than would normally be seen in what in the glamour friendly, but their jubilation underlined the months of anguish endured since they blew a golden opportunity to win their first title since 2004.
“It feels great. It doesn’t get much better than winning a trophy at Wembley against the best team in the world,” Arteta said.
Arteta added, “We are here to win trophies for this club. Seeing so many happy and proud people is great.”
City made history by becoming only the second English club to lift the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in a single season last term. Their fifth Premier League title in six seasons came at Arsenal’s expense as the Gunners wasted the eight-point lead they held at the start of April to finish five points behind the champions.
Showcasing GBP160 million worth of new signings in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, Arsenal had a point to prove to City as they snapped into tackles with the urgency that usually accompanies a title decider.
Arteta will have been encouraged by a composed display from England midfielder Rice following his GBP105 million move from West Ham. Timber, another new recruit, was also solid at left-back but Havertz was typically profligate as he wasted Arsenal’s two best chances to take the lead.
Mateo Kovacic was energetic on his City debut after the midfielder’s move from Chelsea. Palmer was the anonymous Erling Haaland’s second half replacement and the promising youngster netted in the 77th minute.
City broke at pace and when Kieran Tierney lost the ball carelessly, De Bruyne’s header found Palmer and he curled a sublime finish into the far corner from the edge of the area.
But in a sign of things to come under the new time-wasting rules, there was a huge amount of stoppage time and Arsenal equalised 11 minutes into the additional period.
It was a hugely fortunate goal as Trossard cut in from the right and hit his shot straight at Manuel Akanji, only for the ball to deflect off the City defender past the wrong-footed Stefan Ortega.
Arteta celebrated as though Arsenal had won the league and the Spaniard let his emotions hang out again when Vieira converted the winning penalty to light the fuse on the looming title race.
