Man City continue pre-season ‘form’
Liverpool down Hertha
WASHINGTON, July 30, (AFP): Manchester City posted a convincing 3-0 win over English Premiership rivals Tottenham on Saturday in an International Champions Cup friendly in Nashville, Tennessee.
John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Brahim Diaz scored for Manchester City, who were coming off a 4-1 win over Spain and European champions Real Madrid in the exhibition tournament in North America.
Jones opened the scoring at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, with a glancing header in the 10th minute.
City had plenty of chances to increase their lead before Sterling made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute, and Diaz came off the bench to complete the scoring in injury time.
Tottenham had the first real chance in the third minute, but Dele Alli’s attempt was smothered by goalkeeper Ederson.
From there Manchester City inexorably took control.
They were rewarded in the 10th, when Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick from the right found Stones, who stooped to head the ball past Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris.
Spurs had a chance to equalize late in the first half when Harry Kane appeared to have a clean look at goal against a hard-charging Ederson, but he fired over the crossbar.
Meanwhile, Manchester City kept the pressure on Lloris.
Gabriel Jesus missed a chance to double the score on the stroke of halftime, somehow firing wide from short range after a charging De Bruyne delivered a pinpoint pass to him in front of the goal.
Sergio Aguero came on for Manchester City in the 60th and proved dangerous, forcing Tottenham keeper Michel Vorm into a save before twice hitting the woodwork.
Pep Guardiola’s men finally got their second goal when Samir Nasri split the flagging Spurs defence and Sterling finished.
Spurs threatened late, but Christian Eriksen was denied by substitute keeper Ariganet Muric and City had the last word in injury time as Diaz finished from short range after a goalmouth scramble.
SOCCER
City play their last pre-season friendly against West Ham United in Reykjavik next week while Tottenham take on Juventus at Wembley Stadium on Aug 5.
Liverpool 3, Hertha 0
In Berlin, Jurgen Klopp enjoyed a perfect return to Germany, as Liverpool beat Hertha Berlin 3-0 in a pre-season friendly with summer signings Dominic Solanke and Mohamed Salah both on the scoresheet.
The game also saw Philippe Coutinho, who has been heavily linked with a $93 million move to Barcelona, handed the captain’s armband, and the Liverpool fans gave the Brazilian playmaker a rousing reception.
“We are not quite where we want to be, but that is normal in pre-season,” said Klopp after the game.
“We were good today. In the second half, we had control of the game. We had to fight, but we weren’t so good tactically.”
Klopp also hailed Coutinho who played a key role in Liverpool’s third goal, scored by Salah, with a fine lofted pass.