Arsenal beat Man City in penalty shootout to win Community Shield after stoppage-time equalizer

LONDON: Arsenal have started the English season how the team hope to end it — by getting the better of Manchester City.

Arsenal beat City 4-1 in a penalty shootout, after equalizing in the 101st minute in regulation time to draw 1-1, to win the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

The match serves as a traditional curtain-raiser to the season and is typically played between the winners of last season’s Premier League and FA Cup. Because City won both as part of the title treble also containing the Champions League for the first time, Arsenal took part as the runners-up in the league and might have gained a psychological edge heading into the new campaign that starts on Friday.

“For us, it’s a statement,” Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said. “It’s a marker to know we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters.”

Cole Palmer curled in a 78th-minute goal after coming off the bench to give City the lead, only for Leandro Trossard to score with a deflected shot in the 11th minute of second-half stoppage time, taking the game to penalties.

Games in English soccer are set to have more minutes added on in the upcoming season — like at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year — after statistics showed the ball was only in play on average around 55 minutes during Premier League matches last season. Sunday’s finish was a demonstration of the impact that more stoppage time could have.

“Now teams are going to have to think twice,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “We have to prepare to play 100 minutes. It is going to happen every single week.”

In the shootout, Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar for City and Rodri had an effort saved by Ramsdale, giving Fabio Vieira the opportunity to win it for Arsenal.