Manchester City came from behind to draw 1-1 with Manchester United before winning 7-6 on penalties in the Community Shield on Saturday.
Alejandro Garnacho had broken the deadlock in the 82nd minute before Bernardo Silva headed in an equaliser just seven minutes later, setting up the shoot-out in which Manuel Akanji’s penalty was the difference.
After a slow start, it looked like City were kicking into gear when Oscar Bobb latched onto a loose back pass from Lisandro Martinez, but Nico O’Reilly could only hit the far post with his curling strike.
Bruno Fernandes thought he had given United the lead in the 54th minute, only to be denied by the offside flag after curling a wonderful shot over Ederson and into the far corner, before Marcus Rashford struck the post after a quick counterattack.
Just as he did in the FA Cup final in May, Garnacho broke the deadlock at Wembley, cutting inside from the right before fizzing a low shot out of Ederson’s reach and into the bottom-right corner.
Silva soon marked his 30th birthday with an equaliser though, outmuscling Facundo Pellistri at the far post to nod Bobb’s floated cross past Andre Onana.
Onana saved City’s first penalty, denying Silva, but the contest went to sudden death after Ederson kept out Jadon Sancho’s effort.
When Jonny Evans sent his spot-kick flying over the bar, Akanji kept his cool to win it for the Premier League champions, rifling his kick into the roof of the net.
