PSG thrashes Leicester in exhibition match

LOS ANGELES — French title winner Paris Saint-Germain brought English champion Leicester City down to earth with a comfortable 4-0 win in the exhibition International Champions Cup here Saturday. A sell-out 25,667 crowd at the StubHub Center was treated to passages of sumptuous midfield interplay as PSG gave the naive Foxes a taste of what to expect at Europe’s top table as they head into their first Champions League campaign. PSG attacked relentlessly, playing neat triangles in midfield and looking to play mercurial Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani in through the channels while Javier Pastore whipped in dangerous crosses from the left. The threat was largely cancelled out early on by captain Wes Morgan and his center back partner Robert Huth, with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel having little to do. But PSG got the breakthrough in the 26th minute when Daniel Amartey clumsily brought down Jonathan Ikone in the area and Cavani sent Schmeichel the wrong way from the spot. PSG doubled its lead seconds before half-time when Thomas Meunier played a neat assist to Ikone, who slotted the ball in off the bar and beyond Schmeichel. Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri and his opposite number Unai Emery made 17 substitutions between them, largely taking the tempo and purpose out of the second half. It was over as a contest just after the hour when Maxwell sent in a cross from the left, which Lucas Moura was able to nod in after peeling away at the far post. Substitute striker Odsonne Edouard rounded off the rout moments before the final whistle. Liverpool tops Milan Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino scored and Liverpool beat AC Milan 2-0 in an International Champions Cup exhibition game Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium. Firmino scored 14 minutes later on a sliding kick off a deflected pass from Sheyl Ojo. Origi’s goal followed a first half in which Liverpool put heavy pressure on AC Milan. The Reds outshot AC Milan 5-2, had five corner kicks to their opponent’s one and had the only two blocks in the half. Atletico loses in Australia Spanish giant Atletico Madrid crashed to a 1-0 loss to A-League side Melbourne Victory on its Australian pre-season tour in Geelong Sunday. The European Champions League runner-up fell behind to a goal against the run of play shortly before half-time and was kept scoreless in the second half. While manager Diego Simeone rung the changes in the second half his side could not find a way through the determined Victory defense. Ibra strikes for United New signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an acrobatic scissor kick within four minutes of pulling on a Manchester United shirt for the first time in a 5-2 friendly rout of Galatasaray Saturday. The superstar forward, who moved from Paris Saint Germain earlier in the summer, was finally unleashed by new manager Jose Mourinho in Gothenburg in his native Sweden. The 34-year-old Ibrahimovic was replaced at the break by Marcus Rashford, when Galatasaray led 2-1 through Sinan Gumus and Bruma. Wayne Rooney scored a penalty in a second-half brace and Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata were also on the scoresheet as United came on strong after half-time. Brazil downs Japan Teenage star Gabriel Barbosa scored a superb invidivual goal as Neymar returned to lead Brazil to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Japan in an Olympic warm-up game in Brazil Saturday. The 19-year-old Santos striker, who has been linked to European clubs including Juventus, gave Brazil a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute after a mesmerizing slalom through the Japan defense. The shot by the forward known to fans as “Gabigol” took a big deflection on its way into the Japanese net but there was no denying the electrifying burst of skill which created the opener. Barcelona superstar Neymar created Brazil’s second from a corner, headed in by Marquinhos in the 41st minute. Barcelona strolls past Celtic A blond-haired Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet but it hardly mattered as under-strength Barcelona taught Celtic a footballing lesson in a Dublin friendly Saturday. Strikes by Arda Turan and Munir El Haddadi, and an own goal by Efe Ambrose — all before the break — were enough to earn a 3-1 victory for Luis Garcia’s men in what was their first game back after the summer. Leigh Griffiths had replied to Turan’s opener, but boss Brendan Rodgers will be concerned with how vulnerable his defense looked once again, ahead of Celtic’s crucial Champions League third qualifying round clash with Astana Wednesday.