Tribute to Diogo Jota disrupted at community shield

A tribute to the late former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, was interrupted at the Community Shield match when some spectators did not honor the moment's silence. Before the clash between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, both teams and their staff stood in silence to remember the brothers, who tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain in July. However, a small group of Palace fans disrupted the silence, prompting a strong reaction from those at the other end of the field, as well as from other Palace fans who attempted to restore order.

Referee Chris Kavanagh ended the tribute by blowing his whistle. Liverpool manager, Arne Slot, later downplayed the incident, suggesting it was not intentional. "I don't think this was planned, or that this was the idea of the fan that made some noise," he said. "Maybe he wasn't aware of the fact that it was the minute of silence." Slot acknowledged that Palace fans were trying to calm the situation, which inadvertently generated more noise, further confusing the crowd.

In the match, Crystal Palace emerged victorious, defeating Liverpool 3-2 on penalties following a 2-2 draw. This marked Liverpool's first major game since the tragic death of Jota, who was only 28 years old. The brothers perished when the Lamborghini they were traveling in veered off the road and caught fire near Zamora, a city in northwestern Spain.

The Premier League champions made several tributes to Jota following his death, including retiring his No. 20 jersey. A poignant moment came when Liverpool supporters applauded as the game reached the 20-minute mark, honoring Jota, and their applause turned to cheers as new signing Jeremie Frimpong scored to put Liverpool 2-1 up.

The Community Shield, regarded as the traditional curtain-raiser for England's top-flight season, pits the defending league champion against the FA Cup winner. (AP) APA APA

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