Liverpool suffered a second successive Community Shield loss on penalties as they fell 5-4 to Arsenal after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, kicking off 2020/21 in defeat.
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Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal (4-5 on pens)
Community Shield, Wembley
August 29, 2020
Goals: Minamino 73′; Aubameyang 12′
Virgil van Dijk poked home from a few yards out after a free-kick from the left, but he was just offside.
Arsenal then scored with their first attack a few minutes later, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang checked inside Neco Williams and bent a powerful finish into the far corner.
Eddie Nketiah almost doubled the lead soon after, but his low shot was saved by Alisson and the same Arsenal man skied another chance as the Gunners enjoyed a decent spell.
Liverpool then had most of the first-half possession and a succession of sights of goal, mostly from Andy Robertson crosses and runs down the left.
But a genuinely clear chance evaded them, with Mo Salah‘s blocked shot and a James Milner header over the bar about the best of the attempts.
The second half started with Roberto Firmino bending an effort at goal, but just off target, before Sadio Mane spurned a one-on-one chance to equalise.
Takumi Minamino and Naby Keita were called upon after an hour, with Fabinho switching into defence in the reshuffle.
And it was the Japanese forward who had the quick impact, firing one shot from range straight at the ‘keeper and then scoring his first Liverpool goal with a well-taken, first-time finish after he and Salah attempted to combine in the box.
Mane then went close with another one-on-one and the Reds were completely dominant at this stage.
Curtis Jones replaced Firmino, but it was Joe Willock with a close-range header who had the next chance to win the match, only to send his effort well wide.
Andy Robertson also then headed off target in injury time, meaning the Community Shield went to penalties—with Rhian Brewster on for Wijnaldum just before the whistle blew.
Mo Salah blasted in the Reds’ first and Fabinho sent Martinez the wrong way for the second, but Brewster—with his first touch—smacked the crossbar with his effort.
Minamino then thundered in a central penalty and Jones stepped up to take the fifth, finding the bottom corner, but Arsenal scored all five of theirs to leave the Reds mildly frustrated for the second Community Shield in a row.
Klopp and his side are now forced to wait two weeks, including an international break, before the start of the Premier League campaign at home to Leeds.
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