Manuel Akanji earned some redemption with the winning penalty to deliver the Community Shield for Manchester City on Sunday.
Akanji missed from the spot as Switzerland lost to England on penalties in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals this summer.
However, the centre-back stepped up and made it 7-6 for City against arch-rivals Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday, following a 1-1 draw in normal time.
“I let the others shoot first because obviously when you miss a penalty, you don’t go into the next one with that much confidence. I told Ederson I would shoot it down the middle in training so I did it and it went in,” Akanji told ITV (via BBC Sport) after the match.
“It wasn’t easy. We played well, United got a bit better before it went to 1-0. Then it was a great cross from Oscar [Bobb] and Bernardo’s header.”
Although Akanji scored the winning penalty, there’s no doubt goalkeeper Ederson was City’s star man in the shootout.
The Brazil international took a while to get going but denied Jadon Sancho with United’s fourth effort.
Ederson’s best moment was yet to come, however, as he stepped up and emphatically beat opposite number Andre Onana with City’s fifth spot-kick.
After the shootout, Ederson was Akanji’s shock pick as Man City’s best penalty taker — though given his ability on the ball, that shouldn’t be too surprising.
“Ederson is probably the best penalty taker in our team, Erling [Haaland] as well. When Ederson takes the penalty I know it is a goal,” said Akanji.
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