Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City eased to a 4-2 friendly win over Chelsea in Columbus to end their pre-season US tour on a high.
The Premier League champions had failed to record a victory in their other matches in America, losing 4-3 to Celtic and 3-2 to Milan, and drawing 2-2 with Barcelona before going down 4-1 on penalties. City started with intent here though, with Haaland scoring twice in the opening five minutes to leave Chelsea reeling.
The Norway striker was brought down by Levi Colwill in the third minute and got up to score the penalty – twice, after the referee ordered that the kick be retaken. Another defensive error just moments later allowed Haaland to pounce on Moisés Caicedo’s loose pass and drill the ball into the bottom corner.
Chelsea had chances to reduce the arrears before half-time with Stefan Ortega denying Christopher Nkunku, before Enzo Fernández sent his long-range effort wide after a mistake from the City keeper. Haaland and Jack Grealish missed opportunities at the other end as the score remained 2-0 at the interval.
In the second half, Pep Guardiola’s side produced another quickfire two-goal burst, with Oscar Bobb finishing at the near post after James McAtee had played the winger in. Haaland then completed his treble in the 56th minute, finishing clinically with McAtee again providing the assist.
It was proving to be a difficult afternoon for Enzo Maresca, Guardiola’s former assistant who oversaw a friendly defeat to Celtic and draw with Wrexham in July. His side did make the scoreline look more respectable as Raheem Sterling volleyed home, before Noni Madueke slotted past substitute keeper Scott Carson late on.
Chelsea face Real Madrid and Inter in their remaining pre-season games, and Maresca will want to see an improvement before his side face City again, at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on 18 August. City’s only fixture before the visit to Chelsea comes in the Community Shield, against Manchester United next Saturday.
Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich in a sold-out friendly in Seoul, suffering their first defeat of pre-season in front of 70,000 fans.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern side did not feature Harry Kane – who is still resting after England’s run to the Euro 2024 final – but started on the front foot, going close through Serge Gnabry before Gabriel Vidovic pounced on a mistake by Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario to open the scoring after just four minutes.
Leon Goretzka, who was left out of Germany’s Euros squad, doubled Bayern’s lead just before the hour mark. Ten minutes later, Pedro Porro found the bottom corner with a fierce strike from 25 yards out, but Tottenham could not find an equaliser. The two sides will meet again in another friendly in north London next Saturday.
Postecoglou felt that the team’s run of recent games, and the intense heat in the South Korean capital, played a part in the defeat. “The players were showing the effects of us working hard here for 10 days,” the Spurs manager said. “I think we’ll get an enormous benefit from this camp, but tonight we perhaps paid the price for it.”
Newcastle United ended their tour of Japan with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Yokohama F Marinos. The Brazilian winger Elber and midfielder Jun Amano were on target in either half for the J-League side in Tokyo, while new recruit Lloyd Kelly made his debut in central defence for the Magpies.
“I thought we started brightly and faded after we conceded,” the Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, said. “I am disappointed with the result, of course. We didn’t do well enough to cause their goal more harm.”
Everton ran out 3-0 winners against Preston at Deepdale. New signings Jake O’Brien and Jesper Lindstrøm scored in the second half, after Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Sean Dyche’s side a 19th-minute lead from the penalty spot. The only negative for Dyche was a foot injury to Youssef Chermiti, who is set to miss several weeks.
Ipswich earned a 1-0 win against Hoffenheim in Austria, midfielder Jack Taylor scoring the only goal. Leicester were also in pre-season action against Bundesliga oppositon, but lost 1-0 to Augsburg. Adam Armstrong scored the winner at the Den as Southampton edged out Millwall.
Danny Welbeck’s penalty earned Brighton a 1-0 victory at QPR, while Kevin Schade was on target for Brentford as they drew 1-1 at Watford. At Elland Road, Leeds earned a 2-1 win over Valencia with first-half goals from Mateo Joseph and Georginio Rutter.
