City hold nerve in penalty shoot-out to win 2024 Community Shield

Men's Team

City crowned 2024 Community Shield winners

After an even game ended 1-1 with late goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji was our eventual hero from the spot.

City, still without several key players after this summer’s Euro 2024, created enough chances to win the trophy in normal time.

Instead, it looked like we might come out on the wrong side of the result when Garnacho put United ahead in the 82nd minute.

However, a spirited fightback spearheaded by Bernardo meant penalties were required to earn the seventh Community Shield in our history and Pep Guardiola‘s 18th major honour as our boss.

Academy graduate Nico O’Reilly made his senior debut for the Club after impressing on the recent tour of the USA, while James McAtee earned his first competitive start.

Brazil international Savinho also made his first City appearance after his summer move from Troyes, coming on just after the hour mark.

Eager to impress, the young winger gave a very promising glimpse into what fans can expect at the Etihad this season.

What happened

After a young squad stood tall on the Club’s pre-season tour of United States of America, only three senior internationals who missed that trip were added to Pep Guardiola’s lineup.

Centre-backs Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji bolstered the defensive line, while Jeremy Doku was drafted in on the left wing.

After taking time to settle, City’s likeliest route to goal appeared to be down the right flank. 

Rico Lewis, as he so often does, brought energy and enthusiasm while Oscar Bobb’s direct dribbling was a threat to the United backline every time he worked himself some space.

By the midway point of the first half, the pair had become the dominant duo on the pitch.

Lewis created the first genuine chance of the afternoon on 20 minutes, crossing for Haaland who couldn’t scoop the ball goalwards with enough power to cross the line.

Bobb then had a golden opportunity of his own seconds later, weaving his way into the box and creating a yard of space before hitting his shot over the bar.

Unperturbed, we continued to press United back into their own final third.

That hard work almost bore fruit in the 24th minute, with Bobb pouncing on a loose ball and feeding McAtee, who hit a curling shot that beat the diving Andre Onana before clattering against the far post.

Relieved to still be on level terms, our rivals fought back and had two chances of their own, but wingers Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford spurned the openings.

Attacking threat in both halves dwindled as the break approached, but Doku saved his brightest moment until the cusp of the stoppage.

In a move reminiscent of his consolation goal in May’s FA Cup final, he shifted the ball inside from the left and shot through Diogo Dalot’s legs.

Unlike in the spring, this time he saw his shot creep just wide of the near post.

After a subdued restart, United thought they had broken the deadlock when Bruno Fernandes angled a shot into the top corner.

However, the Portuguese international didn’t budge as the ball hit the net, well aware that the flag was about to be raised for offside.

City survived an invigorated United for the next few minutes before a flurry of substitutions, including the introduction of Savinho, helped us to regain the initiative.

The 20-year-old Brazilian made an instant impact, seeing a goalbound shot blocked before bursting beyond his marker and whipping in a teasing cross that was just out of Haaland’s reach.

City were now camped in United’s final third but that doesn’t come without its dangers.

Breaking quickly in the 75th minute, it seemed inevitable that Rashford would put our rivals ahead.

Instead, his left-footed cushioned finish nicked the post and deflected wide.

As with Fernandes’ earlier disallowed effort, United were lifted by that move.

That made it pay in the 82nd minute when substitute Alejandro Garnacho cut in from the right and angled a shot inside the near post.

With time quickly running out, City needed something special.

Second half substitute Bernardo Silva had been keen to make an impression since his introduction and it was his powerful back post header that levelled the scores with just a minute to go.

Neat work down the right from Bobb, who dribbled to the byline and chipped to the back post, offered it up for our pocket-sized Portuguese marvel to shrug off his marker and nod into the top corner.

That was how it would finish, with penalties required to decide the victors.

Bernardo, our hero late on in normal time, saw his spot kick saved before Ederson threw up a decisive claw to deny Jadon Sancho.

With the scores level heading into the final round of kicks, Casemiro and Ederson duly converted to take it into sudden death.

Matheus Nunes held his nerve following Scott McTominay’s finish, before Lisandro Martinez and Ruben Dias exchanged blows.

Jonny Evans was the first to break, sending his kick over and offering Manuel Akanji the opportunity to seal the trophy.

The Swiss defender slotted straight down the middle, earning us an incredible 18th major honour under Guardiola and getting the 2024/25 campaign off to the ideal start.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias (C), Gvardiol (Ake 90), Kovacic, O’Reilly (Nunes 63), McAtee (Bernardo 79), Bobb (De Bruyne 90), Doku (Savinho 63), Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Ake, De Bruyne, Kabore

MANCHESTER UNITED XI: Onana, Dalot, Maguire (Pellistri 58), Evans, Martinez, Casemiro, Mainoo (McTominay 58), Mount (Collyer 58), Fernandes (c), Amad (Garnacho 58), Rashford (Sancho 90)

Subs: Bayindir, Eriksen,  Antony, Zirkzee

Pep Guardiola reaction

“We scored with one or two minutes left like Arsenal did last season and we won penalties but we could have lost today.

“We were closer to losing in the final minutes. We have to wait. I saw many things today that I like. 

“The first 35 minutes were beyond excellent with the time we have together.

“Manu [Akanji] and Ruben [Dias] do just one session together. Many players have holidays. We are far away. We win one trophy and it’s nicer but nothing changed because we win one title.”

Manuel Akanji reaction

“Obviously when you miss your last penalty then you don’t go with so much confidence in the next one.

“I had a good feeling. I trained yesterday in training and I told Eddie I will shoot it straight down the middle, so yeah I did it and it went in.

“Last time we lost here in the FA Cup final and also the Community Shield, so I’m happy we won it today.

“It wasn’t easy. I think we played well. United got a bit better before they made it 1-0. We tried to stay in the game and it wasn’t easy.

“Then a great action from Oscar on the side with the good cross and Bernardo with a great header in the middle.

“In the end, penalties. It’s always a bad feeling for the players to miss, I know how it is, but it has to be someone.”

Man of the Match

The star of City’s pre-season continued his fine progress with another performance of supreme quality.

An exquisite first touch and a willingness to dribble both ways made him a nightmare for both Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot to track.

Having carved several chances out throughout the 90 minutes, it was no surprise that he was the eventual inspiration for City’s breakthrough.

Pinning Martinez back into his box, Bobb gave one shake of hips and was beyond his man. 

At that point, it was all about the delivery. Bobb’s was perfection, dropping irresistibly at the back post for Bernardo to attack and force home with a rare header.

What it means

City win the Community Shield for the seventh time in our history, having played in the match on 16 occasions.

We are the fifth most successful club in the Community Shield’s history, with only Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton winning it outright more times.

What’s next

City get our 2024/25 Premier League campaign under way at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 18 August in a 16:30 kick-off.

Having won a record breaking four successive titles, we’ll be going for a fifth straight triumph this season and a seventh under Pep Guardiola.

As always, we’ll have full coverage throughout the entire campaign on mancity.com and our official app.