City Claim First Silverware of 2024/25 with Community Shield Win

Do Simone Biles or other Olympic legends, such as swimmer Leon Marchand, get bored of winning gold medals? Do Real Madrid tire of winning the Champions League? And, do Pep Guardiola and his Man City team get fed up with their constant stream of silverware? In all cases, we strongly suspect the answer is a very firm no.

Pep’s winning machine has already claimed their first trophy of the 2024/25, whilst many teams are still completing their pre-season preparation. Admittedly, we doubt too many City fans or players will have gotten too excited about claiming the Community Shield, whilst many do not class it as a major piece of silverware at all. Even so, it is yet another trophy for the Man City cabinet and the manner in which they won it, plus the team they beat to do so, will certainly have made it feel a bit more special than it does in general.

City Beat United on Penalties

On the 10th of August, 2024, City got the better of their great rivals, United, on penalties in front of a Wembley crowd of 78,416. This was the 102nd edition of the “super cup”, typically contested in modern times by the teams that won the previous season’s league and FA Cup, respectively. This being a Manchester derby gave the game a little extra spice, as did the fact that United upset the odds to beat Guardiola’s men in last term’s FA Cup final.

That day United won 2-1 but almost three months on City would gain their revenge. It was payback in terms of the bigger picture too, as this was the third time the city rivals had met in this competition, and United had won the previous two.

Erik ten Hag probably played an XI that was closer to his strongest, Pep giving a number of less established players a run-out. That said, the likes of Rico Lewis, England Under 21 James McAtee and, in particular, the game’s Man of the Match, Norwegian Oscar Bobb, can certainly expect to get a decent number of minutes in the season ahead. Nico O’Reilly also played, the young English midfielder set to at least feature in the matchday squad on a regular basis in 2024/25.

In contrast, Ten Hag held little back, though their injury problems meant that aggressive Argentine centre back Lisandro Martnez was deployed at left back, whilst Mason Mount also got a start.

Late Excitement as Game Sparks into Life

Neither team was at their best, as one might expect at this stage, in a game that some now view as a glorified friendly. This led to a game that was at times a little slow, and lacked much in the way of excitement, especially in the first half. No side had a shot on target in the first 45 minutes, although City hit the woodwork through youngster McAtee, who tried to capitalise on a bad pass from United’s Martinez. The second period wasn’t all that much better until the final 10 minutes, although we did at least see the goalkeepers worked.

As one would expect, City had more of the ball but it was their opponents who looked more dangerous, playing on the break. Marcus Rashford, who faces something of a make-or-break season with both club and country, hit the post with 10 minutes to go. He really should have scored but miscued badly and at that stage the smart money may well have been on a 0-0 draw.

However, shortly after that, the Red Devils produced perhaps the best football of the game. The ball was nicely worked to Alejandro Garnacho, on as a sub, and he cut in from the right, skipping inside a couple of City defenders before slotting home from 20 yards. United fans cheered wildly, suspecting that goal would be enough to win the game but City replied quickly.

In the 89th minutes Bernardo Silva’s towering height told in the box and he powered home a header. After nice work on the City right, Bobb produced a perfect cross and Silva, who turned 30 on the day of the game, somehow managed to head home. Uruguayan right-sided winger Facundo Pellistri, on as a sub and filling in at left back, was unable to get his body in any sort of shape to defend the cross and Silva just nodded it in.

Straight to Penalties

With no extra time in the Community Shield the game would be decided from the penalty spot and things started well for United. Silva rapidly went from birthday saviour to instant villain, taking his team’s first kick of the shootout and having his effort saved by Andre Onana. The next five penalties all hit the back of the net and United were so close to glory.

However, Jadon Sancho was unable to beat Ederson, the Brazilian producing a decent save to inflict more Wembley penalty pain on Sancho. City were back in it, and first Savinho, and then Ederson himself scored their penalties. Casemiro also held his nerve for United, and then the next four spot-kicks were all scored, all by players beyond the initial five nominated penalty-takers.

Experienced Northern Irish defender Jonny Evans stepped up next, needing to score what was the 15th penalty of the shootout. He didn’t, instead skying the ball over the bar. That left Manuel Akanji the chance to decide the contest and he produced a stunning, unsavable effort to earn City the trophy.

Overdue Community Win for City

City have now won the Community Shield (including in its previous guise as the Charity Shield) on seven occasions. That puts them joint-sixth on the all-time list but they have lost the game on nine occasions. Had the penalties gone ever so slightly differently this time around they would have lost for the fourth successive year, having also been defeated in 2014 and 2011 this century.

Their record has been poor in the Community Shield under Pep but, of course, this is not the trophy that the Catalan will be targeting. United may be out in front with 21 wins in the Community Shield, more than any other club, but it is their tally of Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues and FA Cups that City will be interested in catching. With this curtain-raiser done for another year, that can only mean the big PL kick-off is just around the corner!