Manchester City avenged their FA Cup defeat against Manchester United to lift the Community Shield 7-6 on penalties on Saturday, after a 1-1 draw at Wembley
The game exploded into life in the final 10 minutes as Alejandro Garnacho gave United the lead but Bernardo Silva levelled before City edged a marathon shoot-out.
Pep Guardiola’s men then edged a marathon shoot-out as Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans failed to score for United.
City have won the Premier League for a record of four consecutive seasons but it is the first time in that run that they have won the season opener after defeats to Leicester, Liverpool and Arsenal in the past three years.
Ten Hag’s job is widely believed to have been saved by beating City back in May and he will feel his side should have gotten the better of their rivals once more.
Amad Diallo should have gone for goal himself rather than trying to square to Bruno Fernandes with the goal gaping as halftime approached.
Fernandes started in an unfamiliar centre-forward role due to the absence of Rasmus Hojlund through injury and a lack of match fitness for Joshua Zirkzee.
The United captain thought he had opened the scoring with a stunning strike on the hour mark that was ruled out for offside.
Garnacho was introduced for the final half-hour and brought more pace and invention to the United attack.
The Argentine teed up Marcus Rashford, who could only hit the post with just Ederson to beat.
Garnacho thought he had won the game on 82 minutes as he jinked inside the City defence and fired low into the corner.
However, City rallied and levelled in the final minute of the 90 when Oscar Bobb’s cross was headed in by Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder was then the first to miss in the shoot-out as his effort was saved by Andre Onana.
Sancho, though, experienced more penalty woe at Wembley after missing in the final of Euro 2020 for England.
His spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Ederson, who then fired in himself to keep City alive.
Evans gave City the chance to win it when he blazed over.
And it was a tale of redemption for Manuel Akanji, whose saved penalty cost Switzerland in their Euros quarterfinal against England, as the centre-back stroked home the winner. –Skysports/ SKB Journal Sports
