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Coutinho magic nets Reds final spot in HK
Neymar scores two in win over Juve as transfer rumours fly
EAST RUTHERFORD: Two sublime goals from Neymar gave Barcelona a 2-1 win over Juventus in front of an 82,000 crowd at MetLife Stadium in the International Champions Cup on Saturday.
Neymar, who is rumoured to be a transfer target of Paris Saint-Germain, put on a master class alongside Lionel Messi as Barcelona turned the tables on the Italian side who knocked them out of last season’s Champions League quarter-finals.
Neymar opened the scoring in the 15th minute, the Brazilian playing a smart onetwo with Paco Alcacer before curling high past goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon into the top right corner.
The Brazilian then doubled Barca’s lead 11 minutes later with a world-class goal. Taking a pass from Messi on the left, Neymar slithered past three lunging Juventus defenders as he weaved his way across the box before wrong-footing Buffon and slamming a right-footed shot into the net.
Neymar and Messi gave way at halftime, while Juventus also made several changes in the second half.
The Serie A champions posed more of an attacking threat after the break and pulled a goal back in the 61st minute when Paulo Dybala’s corner was headed home by Giorgio Chiellini.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was impressed by Neymar.
“He played a fabulous game,” Allegri told reporters. “Along with Messi, they are tremendous talents and you could see that on the pitch.”
In Orlando, Harry Kane’s late penalty helped Tottenham Hotspur start their pre-season preparations in emphatic fashion as French runners-up Paris St Germain imploded.
PSG were reduced to 10 men just moments into the second half when German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who had endured an awful first 45 minutes, was sent off for handballing outside of the box.
And although Unai Emery’s side were difficult to break down, late strikes from Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld and Kane, both on as substitutes, sealed a 4-2 triumph in front of 33,332 fans at the Camping World Stadium.
In Hong Kong, a moment of Philippe Coutinho magic lifted Liverpool to a 2-1 pre-season victory over Leicester City in the final of the Premier League Asia Trophy on Saturday.
The mercurial Brazilian picked the ball up on the left of the area on the stroke of half-time, jinked his way inside and let fly with a superb right-foot strike that proved to be the game-winner.
Coutinho had earlier played the role of provider for new signing Mohamed Salah, dinking the ball on to the Egyptian’s head to cancel out Islam Slimani’s 12th-minute nodded opener.
Palace won the third-place play-off earlier on Saturday, seeing off West Brom 2-0.
In Shenzhen, AC Milan’s big summer signing Leonardo Bonucci enjoyed a winning debut for his new club on Saturday as the Italians crushed Bayern Munich 4-0 in a preseason game in China.
The centre-back moved from Juventus for a fee of €40 million (US$45 million) last week and came on as second-half substitute in front of nearly 40,000 fans in steamy Shenzhen.
AC Milan looked the more dangerous early on and 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 their lead in the 24th minute with Rodriguez — a €17 million signing from Wolfsburg last month — 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 defence-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.