Henderson and Wembley, Crystal Palace's Talisman of Repeated Success

LONDON, SUNDAY — Before May 2025, Crystal Palace had never experienced a championship title at the highest level. Just three months after that, the team coached by Oliver Glasner successfully won two consecutive trophies. Both championship titles were achieved at Wembley Stadium with the heroic performance of goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

After Manchester City in the FA Cup final, Liverpool became the latest victim. Palace lifted the Community Shield trophy again after winning against Liverpool in a penalty shootout 3-2 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday (10/8/2025) evening WIB. The match proceeded to a shootout after ending in a 2-2 draw during the 90 minutes of normal time.

"I love this feeling," Glasner said about the repeated glory at Wembley. "I have to give great credit to the players. We managed to bounce back and decide the match through a penalty shootout. We showed the same level as Liverpool. It was a great performance. I am proud of this team," he continued.

Wembley's fortune seemed to favor Palace. The London-based team fell behind twice due to the actions of Liverpool's debutant players, forward Hugo Ekitike and wing-back Jeremie Frimpong. However, they were always able to bounce back. Palace even forced a penalty shootout thanks to the equalizing goal from winger Ismailla Sarr in the 77th minute.

Speaking of penalties at Wembley, Palace has once again benefited. It is still vividly remembered, the heroic action of Henderson when he saved the penalty from City's player Omar Marmoush at the end of the match last May. Indeed, the goalkeeper still carries the confidence from that historic event.

Three Liverpool penalty takers failed to score. The first executor, Mohamed Salah, missed the target. The subsequent kickers, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvel Elliott, were thwarted by Henderson. With the aid of a note on the water bottle, the English national team goalkeeper successfully emerged as the hero.

The combination of Henderson and Wembley is so remarkable that Liverpool's coach Arne Slot is left perplexed by what is happening with his key players. "If other teams miss two penalties, you should be able to win. The reality is that we did not. Mo (Salah), Alexis, and Harvey usually can convert penalties," said Slot.

The match was capped off perfectly by Palace substitute Justin Devenny, who took the fifth penalty. The 21-year-old midfielder redeemed himself by converting a penalty. His first touch on the pitch, after coming on in 90+4 injury time, nearly turned out to be Palace's winning goal.

A new history has been created for Palace. After experiencing their first FA Cup title three months ago, they successfully won the Community Shield while appearing as debutants. Remarkably, Eberechi Eze and his teammates achieved this feat by defeating the champions of the English Premier League in the last two editions.

The secret behind that string of successes is apparently not related to mystical or magical matters. Glasner revealed his secret recipe after the championship celebration. According to the French coach, he showed videos to the players that depicted the joy of the supporters after winning the FA Cup.

"I showed that video just before we left for Wembley (today). We call it an emotional tribute. Standing here, in front of the fans with these emotions and feelings, you cannot buy that with any money in the world. The fans deserve the best," Glasner explained.

That is what made Palace never give up after falling behind for the second time in the 21st minute. They were able to turn the situation around in the second half. "The Eagles," as Palace is nicknamed, made it difficult for Liverpool to exit their own half. They concluded the match with a total of 14 shots compared to Liverpool's 12.

Slot also praised the opposing team. "We faced a good team. They have always made it difficult for us since last season, and it happened again today. We were able to create many opportunities, but we also conceded two goals, which is too many in a match like this," said the Dutch coach.

Liverpool's defeat cannot be separated from Salah's poor performance. The strongest candidate for the 2025 edition of the best player award in England seemed to disappear. He only managed one shot during the 90 minutes, failed to win any duels (0-6), and created no successful dribbles (0-1). The bad day was further compounded by his failure in the penalty shootout.

After achieving victory again at Wembley, Palace still cannot rest easy. They have one more battle before the new season begins. "The Eagles" are awaiting the decision on their appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne after losing their spot in the Europa League. The decision will be announced this Monday. (AP/REUTERS)