LONDON: This time, Manuel Akanji made no mistake from the penalty spot.
After a 1-1 draw, Manchester City beat Manchester United 7-6 in a penalty shootout to win the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with Akanji scoring the clinching penalty.
The Switzerland defender had different emotions after his last shootout — at the European Championship last month when he was the only player to not convert a penalty kick in a loss to England in the quarterfinals. On that occasion, Akanji took Switzerland’s first attempt.
“I let the others shoot first,” Akanji said, “because obviously when you miss a penalty, you don’t go into the next one with that much confidence.”
City ended a run of three straight losses in the traditional curtain-raiser to the English soccer season, between the winners of last season’s Premier League (City) and FA Cup (United). Pep Guardiola’s team had been beaten by Leicester, Liverpool and Arsenal over the past three years.
And it goes some way to avenging the loss to United in the FA Cup final 77 days ago, when City were beaten 2-1 to miss out on another league-and-cup double.
It looked like United would be claiming another Wembley win over their neighbor when second-half substitute Alejandro Garnacho cut inside and drove a low shot inside the near post in the 82nd minute.
City equalized in the 89th when Bernardo Silva, also a substitute, headed in from Oscar Bobb’s cross.
The game went straight to penalties — there is no extra time in the Community Shield — and Silva saw his shot saved by Andre Onana off City’s first attempt.
Jadon Sancho failed off United’s fourth kick as Ederson tipped the shot onto the post. It was more penalty heartache for Sancho, who was one of three England players to miss in the shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
United defender Jonny Evans, the team’s eighth penalty-taker, chipped his effort over the crossbar to give Akanji the chance to win it for City.
Against England in Dusseldorf, the center back placed his kick to his right and had it saved by Jordan Pickford, but this time he lifted it down the middle and under the bar.
While United fielded a close-to-full-strength team, City were still without a raft of key players following the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. Rodri, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones were all missing, while Kevin De Bruyne started on the bench and was a late substitute.
“We’re happy to start the season in the way we have and obviously there’s a lot to come,” said Ruben Dias, who was City’s captain for the match. “It’s another trophy and we’re always happy to collect trophies. We’ve just had a long season and we still don’t have a full squad back but it is very good for us to start this way.”
Guardiola has now won 18 trophies — including the Community Shield three times — since joining City in 2016.
Akanji scores clinching penalty as Man City beat Man United in shootout to win Community Shield
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Akanji scores clinching penalty as Man City beat Man United in shootout to win Community Shield
- “I let the others shoot first,” Akanji said, “because obviously when you miss a penalty, you don’t go into the next one with that much confidence”
- City ended a run of three straight losses in the traditional curtain-raiser to the English soccer season
Iradie set to become the first Belgium Saudi Cup night runner
- Gaelle Gernay’s 5-year-old will run in Friday’s $500,000 Saudi International Handicap presented by LUCID.
RIYADH: Trainer Gaelle Gernay will represent Belgium on the big stage this Friday and her runner, Iradie, could be a little under the radar in the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap presented by LUCID.
The 5-year-old mare by Sommerabend has spent most of her career in France, winning twice last summer over 1,800 meters and 2,000 meters, so the 2,100 meters at King Abdulaziz Racecourse should suit. And she will be the first Belgium representative in the race.
Iradie changed hands at the Arqana sales in France in mid-November, when bought by bloodstock agents Jerry McGrath and Toby Jones for $27,400. Iradie was last seen finishing third at Mons on Dec. 4.
“We’re excited, especially as we’re just a small stable in Belgium, so it’s quite a big story for us to go with a horse to Saudi Arabia on the weekend of The Saudi Cup,” Gernay said.
“Last year her owner Mr. Jones called me and said he’d like to buy a horse for the race and that’s how it started.
“He said he was still looking in September and then he found her at the sale. She ran in Belgium once to qualify, she ran quite well over a distance that was way too short for her over 1,500 meters. She was beaten only (by) a nose and ran a great race. We started to think about the race then.”
Gernay had a successful career in the saddle, riding in lady riders’ competitions, but her life in the west of the country is unusual compared with her competitors.
“I only have five in training for the moment, I used to do a lot of pre-training but it’s not an easy thing to do in Belgium and I have another job to combine with the horses,” she explained.
“My boyfriend William takes care of the horses at home and I actually work with police horses, the Royal Cavalry. But I’ve got good hours so I can also train in the mornings.”
While Christophe Soumillon remains Belgian racing’s greatest ambassador, with the sport itself staged only at a handful of tracks, Gernay is excited to see what Iradie can do.
“We’ve not had her that long, but she’s already changed a lot,” she said. “She did her last work last week, and we were very, very happy with her. Hopefully everything goes well from now on.”
