Exciting Community Shield: Ekitike's Instant Impact in Liverpool vs Crystal Palace

The Premier League champions and FA Cup winners face off at Wembley in the annual Community Shield match.

Liverpool and Crystal Palace compete for the first silverware of the season in the curtain-raiser event. Both teams see this as an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season. Liverpool has made new signings and pays tribute to Diogo Jota in their first competitive match since his passing.

Crystal Palace, the cup winners, are dealing with legal proceedings in a Swiss court regarding their European future. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is reviewing their appeal over being demoted from the Europa League. The team, including players linked with transfers, aims to focus on the game and secure a win at Wembley.

Hugo Ekitike scores his first goal for Liverpool with a nice finish, assisted by Florian Wirtz. The match sees moments of high intensity before slowing down due to the heat. Both teams show promise, with Liverpool vulnerable to counter-attacks. Mohamed Salah has a limited impact, but Liverpool maintains fluency without heavy reliance on him.

Liverpool's passing game weakens towards the end, hindering their threat. Crystal Palace misses a chance to score, with Oliver Glasner showing frustration on the sidelines. The match extends with added time, despite being a friendly game with silverware at stake. Ibrahima Konate receives a yellow card for a challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta, though the decision seems questionable.

Both teams are praised for their approach to the match, which is usually dull. Dean Henderson urges his team to be proactive, while Cody Gakpo's offside position nullifies a potential opportunity.