THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018 18 Roma rally past Barcelona Malcom impresses but AS Roma and Florenzi fight back to beat Barcelona ESPN | Arlington, Texas lead after good work from Ballou spurned two openings when Tabla. Barcelona 2 – 4 AS Roma Rafinha capped a fine team move BETTER oma came from behind to He almost scored again, too, (35’) in the seventh minute to open beat Barcelona 4-2 in the sending a free kick inches wide Rafinha (6’) the scoring. Malcom (49’) (78’) RInternational Champions before seeing a shot well saved (83’) Valverde’s side continued to Cup at AT&T Stadium but not by substitute goalkeeper Anto- (86’ PEN) pile on the pressure. Rafinha, KNOW before Malcom had given them a nio Mirante. who’s playing for his future at taste of what they missed out on. Barca’s young side had start- the club, almost set up Malcom A flurry of late goals from ed quickly. Munir had already for a second goal, but Robin Alessandro Florenzi, Bryan Cris- Often nicknamed tante and Diego Perotti helped ‘The Wolves’, the an- the recover from 2-1 imal has always fea- down as they took full advantage tured on AS Roma’s of Barca’s changes in the latter badge. Their current stages of the game. Ernesto Valverde had made badge portrays a 10 outfield substitutions by the female wolf with time Florenzi levelled the match two infant brothers, at 2-2 and the Barca coach will Romulus and Remus, be happy with what he saw be- which illustrates the fore he brought on the club’s B myth of the creation team players -- especially from of new signing Malcom. Roma thought they had signed Malcom from Bordeaux last Olsen saved. week only to see Barca swoop Barca’s grip on possession in at the 11th hour, nabbing the remained but the frequency of Brazilian from under their noses their chances decreased as Roma in a deal worth €41 million. began to pose a threat on the Defender break. played down the transfer saga Chances for Edin Dzeko before the game, saying he and Florenzi had already been hadn’t even heard of Malcom, snuffed out when summer sign- but all the Roma players will ing Justin Kluivert set up El have been aware of him by full- Shaarawy to equalise. time. Malcom then had his moment Making his first start for his in the 49th minute before Val- new club, Malcom impressed in verde rung the changes on the a Barca side which was without hour mark. and the other play- Florenzi took advantage of ers that took part in this sum- some open defending from Bar- mer’s World Cup. ca’s youngsters, who play in the After Stephan El Shaarawy third tier of Spanish football, to had cancelled out Rafinha’s early level before Cristante beat Jas- opener, the script was written FC Barcelona’s Rafael Alcantara “Rafinha” fights for the ball with AS Roma’s per Cillessen after being given for Malcom to restore Barca’s too much room to turn. N’Koudou strike sees Spurs defeat Milan Lukaku to return early Reuters | pre-season tour but insisted Tottenham wrap up International Champions Cup with friendly win the fixtures did not reveal an- elgium striker Romelu ything new strategically. BLukaku has curtailed his “I didn’t learn anything (tac- ESPN | Minneapolis vacation and will join Man- tically). I know what (Ander) chester United at the start of Herrera is, I know what (Juan) Tottenham finished their their cam- Mata is, I know what (Alexis) wpreseason tour of the U.S. paign, manager Jose Mourin- Sanchez is, I know what they with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan, ho has said. are... I know the kids need time with Georges-Kevin Nkoudou Mourinho called for the to grow up,” Mourinho said. hitting the second-half winner. club’s World Cup participants “The boys tried everything, fielded to shorten their rest days after they gave everything, they a youthful side including three last month’s tournament to know we have to try to fight 21-year-olds and three teenag- help United, who have also for the best result but tactically ers, while naming senior figures been hindered by injuries, it means nothing.” , Heung-Min avoid a poor start to the league United have won two of Son, Serge Aurier and Ben season. their five pre-season fixtures Davies on the bench. England duo Phil Jones and so far and will be keen to make But his team still came out on Marcus Rashford were already a quick start in their quest to top after Nkoudou’s 47th-min- set to return early and United win silverware this season. ute strike -- the Frenchman’s will now be boosted by Luka- Mourinho was unsure, how- second goal in successive ku’s decision as they prepare ever, if would matches after Saturday’s equal- to host Leicester City in their return in time to play Sunday’s iser against Barcelona in Los first league game on Aug. 10. final friendly against Angeles. “We will have (Victor) Lin- Bayern af- Tottenham dominated pos- delof who started training two ter the Frenchman session at US Bank Stadium, days ago,” Mourinho said after left the team’s with academy trio George Tottenham Hotspur’s British defender Kyle Walker-Peters (L) vies for the ball with AC Milan’s Italian foward Patrick United’s 2-1 win over Real Ma- pre-season tour Marsh, Luke Amos and Oliver Cutrone (C) and foward Fabio Borini drid in the pre-season Interna- early to attend Skipp showing confidence and tional Champions Cup (ICC) the birth composure in central midfield. forced a save from Michel Vorm Nkoudou intercepting a woeful narumma. on Wednesday. of his However, AC Milan had the bet- with a header from ’s cross, crossfield pass outside Milan’s Both teams made multiple “Marcus Rashford, daugh- ter chances in the first half. and Fabio Borini sent a flicked box, accelerating outside Mu- changes after the hour-mark, Jones and Lukaku, ter. Suso’s 14th-minute cross header just wide. sacchio and sending a rising with Pochettino introducing because they gave bounced just in front of a sliding Kessie also went close with a drive into the top corner at the Eriksen, Son, Davies and Auri- to the group and to Patrick Cutrone six yards out low deflected shot, while Cutro- near post. er, and the substitutions affect- the team three days Romelu and, when Amos scuffed a clear- ne was inches away from con- The Italians nearly hit ed the flow of the game, with of their holidays, Lukaku ance, Franck Kessie fired over. necting with deliveries from straight back as Hakan Calhano- chances drying up. so they are coming Amos nearly gave Spurs the Suso and Davide Calabria, so glu forced a save from substitute That suited Spurs perfectly back three days early lead when he tackled Mateo Tottenham were somewhat goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and and, after suffering a late scare to try to be available Musacchio in AC Milan’s box fortunate to go into the break then sent a free kick past the as Luca Antonelli wastefully for the team.” and watched as the ball rolled on level terms, despite the im- post. overhit a cross to Nikola Ka - The Portuguese agonisingly wide of open net, pressive performances of their But Nkoudou nearly struck linic, they completed their In- boss praised his but that was the north London- youngsters. again at the other end, getting ternational Champions Cup senior players for ers’ best opportunity of the half. Yet it was they who took the behind on the right side before campaign with two wins and a the intensity they At the other end, Cutrone lead just after half-time, with driving his shot at Antonio Don- defeat to Barcelona on penalties. showed in United’s