Bizarre ‘own goal’ steals show, Inter beat Chelsea

Walcott shines as Arsenal trounce Benfica

SINGAPORE, July 29, (AFP): Inter Milan’s Geoffrey Kondogbia entered the annals of sporting infamy with a remarkable own goal but the Italian side held on to win 2-1 and condemn Chelsea to a successive pre-season defeat on Saturday in Singapore.

Inter led by two goals from Ivan Perisic and Stevan Jovetic, before what was supposed to be a routine backpass from substitute Kondogbia looped over his own goalkeeper and nestled into the top corner of the net from fully 40 yards, stunning the crowd of over 32,000.

The Frenchman’s embarrassing mishap overshadowed what had otherwise been an impressive performance by Inter, and in particular Manchester United target Perisic.

The Croatian winger played a central role in the game and scored the Serie A side’s second goal in the 53rd minute, latching on to a pass from Jovetic before applying a smart finish.

Inter dominated the early stages. In the first few minutes a defence-splitting Milan Skriniar pass found Antonio Candreva — reportedly a Chelsea transfer target — who forced Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into a fingertip save.

With the game going a bit flat, the English champions grew into their own. Big-money signing Alvaro Morata was quiet on his first start since moving from Real Madrid and it was Willian who had Chelsea’s first real chance with a deflected effort in the 27th minute, before David Luiz fizzed a freekick over.

Inter found the breakthrough in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. A clipped through ball from Borja Valero was chested down by Jovetic, who went down easily under a Cesar Azpilicueta challenge, and was awarded a penalty.

Jovetic’s first effort was saved but the striker slotted home the rebound.

After Perisic’s second, Inter nearly made it 3-0 as he squared to substitute Joao Mario, only for the midfielder to shoot straight at Courtois.

Kondogbia’s unfortunate intervention set up a nervy finish but Chelsea were unable to force the leveller.

It was a second defeat on the spin for Chelsea after losing 3-2 to Bayern Munich in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott gave Arsene Wenger a timely reminder of his qualities with a brace in Arsenal’s 5-2 friendly thrashing of Benfica as Alexandre Lacazette made his Gunners home debut in the Emirates Cup on Saturday.

Walcott is in danger of being reduced to a fringe figure following a disappointing campaign that ended with the England winger being left out of Arsenal’s FA Cup final win against Chelsea in May.

As if that wasn’t depressing enough for Walcott, he has watched Wenger splash out a club record £52 million ($68 million) for Lyon striker Lacazette and make a so far unsuccessful attempt to sign Monaco winger Thomas Lemar.

But, in his 11th year with Arsenal, 28-year-old Walcott served notice he isn’t going to be cast aside without a fight as he produced two clinical finishes

Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette gets away from Benfica’s Filipe Augusto during their Emirates Cup soccer match, at the Emirates Stadium in

London on July 29. (AP)

and laid on the cross for a Lisandro Lopez own goal.

Olivier Giroud and Alex Iwobi were also on target as Arsenal ran riot in their first match in the four-team friendly tournament at the Emirates Stadium.

Lacazette, introduced to a huge roar, had few chances to impress in his brief cameo, but the France international is likely to start against Sevilla on Sunday.

Franco Cervi and Eduardo Salvio were the scorers for Portuguese champions Benfica, who looked lost at the back following the sale of Sweden defender Victor Lindelof to Manchester United.

Walcott started for Arsenal with Lacazette on the bench and wantaway forward Alexis Sanchez not due to return to training until Sunday after Confederations Cup duty with Chile.

But Walcott’s headline-grabbing show came after Arsenal fell behind in the 11th minute as Jonas set up Cervi to drill a low strike past David Ospina.

Sead Kolasinac, a free transfer recruit from Schalke, made his reputation as a buccaneering left-back and, although the Bosnian was deployed in a back three by Wenger, he got forward to help Arsenal equalise in the 24th minute.

Pressuring Pizzi into surrendering possession as the Benfica defender tried to shepherd the ball out of play inside his own area, Kolasinac saw goalkeeper Julio Cesar was out of position and chipped a cross towards Walcott, who volleyed home from 10 yards.

Walcott bagged his second in the 32nd minute, converting a Francis Coquelin cross from close range. Coquelin then limped off having been caught on the ankle earlier in the half and Benfica equalised in the 39th minute.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles squandered possession outside the Arsenal penalty area and Pizzi pounced to set up Salvio, whose deflected effort beat Ospina.

But Wenger’s side regained the lead in the 52nd minute when Walcott’s cross towards Giroud was deflected into his own net by the lunging Lisandro.

Giroud then netted Arsenal’s fourth with a volleyed finish from promising youngster Reiss Nelson’s pin-point cross and Iwobi made it five with a ferocious strike into the roof of the net in the 70th minute.

Fowles was 11 of 15 from the floor and 7 of 10 at the line.

Maya Moore added 17 points for Minnesota (18-2), and Seimone Augustus had 14 points and 10 assists for her second career double-double. The Lynx had 30 assists on 37 field goals, and shot 56 percent. Tiffany Hayes scored 25 points for Atlanta (10-12). Brittney Sykes added 13 points and Sancho Lyttle became the leading rebounder in Dream history.

Storm 109, Wings 93 In Seattle, Jewell Loyd tied a season high with 27 points while Breanna Stewart had 20 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in Seattle’s victory over Dallas.

Stewart topped 500 career rebounds to set a WNBA record for fewest games to reach that mark and also score 1,000 points at 55.

Crystal Langhorne dded 16 points, Sue Bird had 15, and Alysha Clark 14 for Seattle (10-12). The Storm tied a franchise record with 29 assists. Skylar Diggins-Smith had 18 points for Dallas (11-13).

Liberty 85, Fever 84 In Indianapolis, Tina Charles scored 25 points and Sugar Rodgers made two free throws with 11.2 seconds left as

New York beat Indiana.

Bria Hartley added 17 points for New York (11-10) and Shavonte Zellous had 11. Achonwa led Indiana (815) with 19 points. Dupree and Tiffany Mitchell each had 14.

Mercury 86, Sky 80

In Rosemont, Illinois, Camille Little scored 19 points, Cayla George had career highs of 14 points and 14 rebounds as Phoenix beat Chicago.

Monique Currie scored 10 of her 18 points at the free throw line for Phoenix (12-10).