After a two-month hiatus, English soccer is back: yesterday (Sunday) the English champions Manchester City and their runner-up Arsenal showed up to play for the first title of the season, the "community shield" that usually brings together the champion and the cup holder. This time the meeting took place between the champion and its runner-up because City won both titles. Arsenal won the title after a dramatic finish and victory in the penalty shootout.
In the game itself, Cole Palmer gave Manchester City the lead in the 77th minute, an advantage that lasted until the 12th minute of added time, an own goal by Manuel Akanji after a kick by Andrew Trussard equalized the result. In the community shield there is no overtime, and the teams went straight to a penalty shootout. Arsenal's captain Martin Odugor fired a precise kick in, while talented midfielder Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar.
At the end of the penalty kicks, Arsenal won 4:1, and won the community shield for the 17th time in its history. This is the fifth time that Arsenal has won the first title of the season in the last decade. The one who leads the table of title wins is City's city rival, Manchester United with 21. Arsenal, who won the championship for the last time in 2004, hope to bring the championship back to the Emirates Stadium as well.
15 years after they were bought Manchester City is the European champion
As remembered, last May, 15 years after it was bought by investors from the United Arab Emirates, Manchester City reached the top of European soccer and won the Champions League. With this, the club completed a trip - winning the English Championship, the FA Cup and, as mentioned, the Champions League.
Two years ago, City reached the final of the Champions League but succumbed to Chelsea who returned home to London with the trophy and until last night it was the team's greatest European achievement since winning the European Cup Holders Cup in 1970. This completed the move of turning the club from the middle of the table in England, to the top of European soccer.
Arsenal led the table for most of the season
Since the purchase in 2008, the club has won the English Championship 7 times (the previous win was in 1968), three times in the FA Cup, 6 times in the English League Cup, but only today has the greatest title arrived - winning the Champions League.
In the English league, City won the championship after overtaking Arsenal in the table towards the end of the season, finishing with 89 points, while Arsenal only had 84. In the cup final in the derby against Manchester United, City completed a turnaround after a 1:0 deficit on the way to a 1:2 victory and winning the seventh cup in its history.
