Sports

Liverpool bags Asia Trophy

July 23, 2017
Liverpool players celebrate after winning the final match against Leicester City at the Premier League Asia Trophy Soccer Tournament in Hong Kong Saturday. — AP
Liverpool players celebrate after winning the final match against Leicester City at the Premier League Asia Trophy Soccer Tournament in Hong Kong Saturday. — AP

HONG KONG — Juergen Klopp revealed he spoke to Philippe Coutinho about Barcelona’s attempts to sign the Brazilian before the playmaker delivered a match-winning performance to help Liverpool win the Premier League Asia Trophy against Leicester City Saturday.

Coutinho has been the subject of a 70-million-pound ($90.94 million) bid by the Catalan giant, but Liverpool has said none of its key players is for sale ahead of the new season.

And the Brazilian responded in impressive fashion, setting up Mohamed Salah for his side’s first goal before scoring Liverpool’s second as the Merseyside club notched up a second Hong Kong win in four days, beating the 2016 Premier League champions 2-1.

“That’s not for you,” said Klopp when asked for the details of his conversation with the 25-year-old.

“Of course we have spoken. We were seven days pretty much all the time together and we found a moment when we could speak.

“Everybody knows Philippe Coutinho is a key player for us. I know he feels completely more than fine, comfortable in Liverpool. He loves the club, he loves the city. All of that is clear.”

Liverpool won the four-team tournament after Klopp’s side came back from going behind to a goal from Leicester’s Islam Slimani after just 12 minutes.

Salah’s deft header leveled the scores eight minutes later before Coutinho claimed the winner a minute before halftime as Liverpool followed Wednesday’s victory over Crystal Palace with success against the 2016 champions.

Chelsea crushes Arsenal 3-0

Chelsea crushed Arsenal 3-0 in a preseason game in Beijing Saturday but the friendly turned ugly as Pedro left the field with a bloodied face after a big collision with David Ospina.

The injury scare was followed by a two-goal performance by Chelsea’s Belgian forward Michy Batshuayi before a crowd of 55,618 people at the Bird’s Nest in the Chinese capital.

Pedro lay on the ground within half an hour with blood in his nose, lips and right ear after colliding with Colombian keeper Ospina, who slammed into the Spaniard as he leapt to clear a long ball with both fists.

After a few minutes of medical attention on the ground, the Spanish international walked off the pitch and did not return to the game.

The victory gave the Blues some measure of revenge after Arsenal stunned Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final in May to deny the Premier League champion a double trophy season.

Willian had opened the score sheet from just inside the area in the 40th minute.

AC Milan thrashes Bayern

AC Milan’s big summer signing Leonardo Bonucci enjoyed a winning debut for his new club Saturday as the Italians thrashed Bayern Munich 4-0 in a preseason game in China.

The center-back moved from Juventus for a fee of 40 million euro ($45 million) last week and came on as second-half substitute in front of nearly 40,000 fans in steamy Shenzhen.

AC Milan opened the scoring in the 13th minute when a Ricardo Rodriguez cutback found its way to Franck Kessie, who drilled the ball home from the edge of the box.

Milan doubled its lead in the 24th minute with Rodriguez again the architect.

The Swiss left-back curled a free kick into the box which Patrick Cutrone headed firmly past Bayern’s 17-year-old keeper Christian Fruchtl into the net.

M’Baye Niang created AC Milan’s third goal when his defense-splitting pass put Giacomo Bonaventura clear. The defender then played a simple ball for Cutrone to slot home for his second of the match.

The Italians completed a comprehensive victory five minutes from time when forward Hakan Calhanoglu cut inside from the left flank to unleash a powerful shot which flew low into the Bayern net. — Agencies


July 23, 2017
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