Liverpool best Man City 3-1 to win Community Shield

Sports Desk, Jul 30 (EFE).- A motivated Liverpool side triumphed 3-1 Saturday over Manchester City to win the Community Shield for the 16th time.

The FA Cup-winning Reds and the reigning Premier League champions put on a good show for the 32,000 spectators in the stands at King Power Stadium in Leicester.

New man Darwin Nuñez contributed one of the Liverpool goals and helped set up another, while Julian Alvarez celebrated his City debut by scoring within 15 minutes of coming on as a sub.

But City’s marquee signing of the summer, Erling Haaland, wasted several chances before putting the ball in the Reds’ net in stoppage time, only for the goal to be disallowed because the ball went out of play in the buildup.

Liverpool were by far the more dynamic squad at the start. Mohamed Salah sent a shot into the side-netting in the 4th minute and Andy Robertson did likewise 10 minutes later.

Trent Alexander-Arnold opened the scoring in the 21st minute with an effort that deflected off the head of City defender Nathan Ake before whizzing past goalkeeper Ederson.

Riyad Mahrez had a chance at the equalizer two minutes into the second half, but Reds keeper Adrian – playing because of injuries to Alisson Becker and backup Caoimhin Kelleher – did enough to deny him.

Ederson sacrificed his face to thwart Nuñez in the 64th minute, six minutes before Alvarez opened his account with City, nudging the ball across the line after Adrian made successive stops against Phil Foden.

Though the offside flag went up, a protracted VAR check concluded that all of the attackers were onside and the goal stood.

The teams were still deadlocked 1-1 in the 81st minute when a Nuñez header brushed the hand of City’s Ruben Dias on its way out of play. VAR spotted the infraction and Salah converted from the penalty spot to restore Liverpool’s lead.

Haaland’s disallowed goal came in the 92nd minute and Nuñez added to the Reds’ advantage with a fine header in the 94th. EFE

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