Asensio scores twice as Real beat Juventus

LOS ANGELES: Substitute Marco Asensio made an immediate impact by scoring two early second-half goals as Real Madrid rallied to beat Juventus 3-1 in a pre-season exhibition contest on Saturday.

Asensio entered the game at the start of the second half and scored less than two minutes in before adding another in the 56th minute. It was the first defeat of the pre-season and the final match of the International Champions Cup campaign for Italy’s Juventus. The Serie A champions now open up their title defense at Chievo on Aug 18.

NEYMAR RETURNS AS PSG THRASH MONACO

SHENZHEN: Brazilian superstar Neymar made his first club appearance since February as Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Monaco 4-0 in the French Champions Trophy in China on Saturday. Angel Di Maria’s double fired PSG to their first silverware under new coach Thomas Tuchel as Neymar, long sidelined by a foot injury, came on as a late substitute.

Di Maria’s thunderous freekick opened the scoring on 33 minutes in searing heat and he grabbed PSG’s fourth in injury time following strikes from youngsters Christopher Nkunku and Timothy Weah.

It was a comprehensive win for the reigning French champions in the season’s curtainraiser, even without Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani who are yet to return after the World Cup. PSG start their Ligue 1 title defence on Sunday with a home match against Caen.