Crystal Palace began their new campaign in dream fashion, adding another trophy to their collection after edging Liverpool 3-2 on penalties in a pulsating Community Shield at Wembley.
FA Cup winners Palace, still riding high from their historic first major title earlier this year, toppled the Premier League champions thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The England international denied Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott from the spot, while Mohamed Salah fired over, leaving 21-year-old substitute Justin Devenny to blast home the decisive penalty.
The victory makes Palace the first team in half a century to win the Shield on their debut appearance, following Derby County’s success in 1975.
It also means Oliver Glasner’s side have now lifted two trophies in three months, both under the Wembley arch.
The match burst into life inside four minutes when record signing Florian Wirtz combined with fellow newcomer Hugo Ekitike, who turned on the edge of the box and drilled a low strike beyond Henderson.
Palace responded with purpose and levelled after 17 minutes, Jean-Philippe Mateta converting from the spot after Virgil van Dijk fouled Ismaila Sarr.
But Liverpool quickly restored their lead when Jeremie Frimpong’s looping effort — intended as a cross — struck the far post and dropped into the net.
The goal came moments after Anfield supporters staged a 20th-minute applause for Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident last month.
Ekitike spurned two golden chances early in the second half, missing with a close-range header and later blazing over.
Those misses proved costly when Sarr latched onto a through ball and finished clinically off the post to make it 2-2.
Palace felt they had a strong claim for another penalty after Mac Allister appeared to handle inside the area, but VAR upheld the on-field decision.
Devenny then came within inches of a late winner before sealing the shootout triumph.
The result came just 24 hours before Palace are due to learn from the Court of Arbitration for Sport whether their appeal to remain in the Europa League will succeed.
If any tension lingered over that decision, it wasn’t visible on the pitch.
Glasner named the same starting XI that beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, with captain Marc Guehi again leading by example at the back amid transfer links to Liverpool.
While Palace were exposed defensively for both first-half goals, they held firm thereafter and relied on Henderson’s penalty prowess — the same end where he saved in May’s final — to see them through.
This was Liverpool’s first competitive outing since the loss of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, making it a poignant occasion.
Floral tributes were laid before kick-off, followed by a minute’s silence cut short by crowd noise.
Both Liverpool goals carried symbolism — the opener coming from the left flank where Jota excelled, and the second arriving during the tribute applause.
Frimpong’s audacious chip over Tyrick Mitchell was the kind of bold play Jota would have admired, but in the end, Liverpool fell short of claiming their 17th Community Shield.
