FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2019 16 Atletico blank MLS All-Stars

Joao Felix came up big as• the powerhouse made easy work of the All-Stars KNOW WHAT

Marcos Llorente, Joao Felix• and Los Angeles Galaxy star Zla- score for Atletico Madrid tan Ibrahimovich was with- drawn after just 30 minutes and despite Wayne Rooney’s AFP | Orlando, United States best efforts in the first half, it was the La Liga side that ortuguese teen sensation Joao Fe- was far superior lix came off the bench to score a Psuperb goal Wednesday as Atlet- Rooney, the former Manchester Unit- ico Madrid blanked the Major League ed and England forward, was operating Soccer All-Stars 3-0 at rain-soaked in a deep lying midfield role and saw Exploria Stadium. plenty of the ball in the opening stages , signed from city without being able to penetrate the rivals Real this summer for $42 mil- Spanish team’s defence. lion, had put the Spanish side ahead in Atletico created the first real oppor- the first half before 19 year-old, $134 tunity, Rodrigo Riquelme firing high million striker Felix scored a brilliant and wide on 17 minutes following good second to decide a match that failed to work from Vitolo, while Rooney saw a spark into action, a swathe of changes brilliantly struck effort from 30 yards on both teams contributing to a decid- whistle just over the bar. edly low-tempo affair. Ibrahimovich, who had barely Diego Costa’s late third was no more touched the ball, was withdrawn on 30 than the visitors deserved. minutes, much to the disappointment Los Angeles Galaxy star Zlatan Ibra- of the 25,527 spectators who hoped to himovich was withdrawn after just 30 see the mercurial Swedish superstar in Atletico Madrid defender Carlos Isaac, right, slips past Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela minutes and despite Wayne Rooney’s the action. best efforts in the first half, it was the “Of course it’s a big price to pay for pay now.” crowd for 40 minutes but the rain failed Atletico’s opening goal on 43 minutes La Liga side that was far superior. such a young player but that’s the way Madrid manager Diego Simeone re- to dampen an excellent atmosphere for was a superb team effort, Riquelme “I haven’t seen too much of Joao the market is going now,” Rooney told fused to single out any of his new play- the North American league’s annual brilliantly back flicking the ball to Llor- Felix but... he looks like he has good AFP. “Everyone is spending a lot of ers, including Felix. exhibition match. ente, who drove the ball past Philadel- technique,” Rooney told AFP. “I’m sure money. “I’ve been pleased with all the new The MLS All-Stars, captained by lead- phia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake. he will be a good player for Atletico in “I remember a few years ago, Zine- signings and the path we are going on ing scorer Carlos Vela of LAFC, boasted James O’Connor, the Orlando City the near future.” dine Zidane went for over $60 million during this pre-season,” Simeone said. the likes of DC United’s Rooney, Ibrahi- coach in charge of All-Stars, completely The Spanish side spent plenty of and everyone was saying ‘What’s going Inclement weather in the Orlando movich and home favorite Nani in their changed his team at half-time, includ- money betting Rooney is right. on?’ But that’s the price you have to area delayed kickoff before a sellout starting line-up. ing withdrawing Rooney and Nani.

Zidane confident as Wilson, Pedro strike as Liverpool, Chelsea win AFP | Paris first match of the pre-season af- Benzema hat-trick ter a break following the recent elsh international Har- Africa Cup of Nations. Wry Wilson gave Jurgen Klopp said it was too early helps lift gloom Klopp a reminder of his talents to say whether or not Firmi - with a spectacular goal as Liv- no, playing for the first time erpool defeated Lyon 3-1 in a since the Copa America, or Sa- pre-season friendly on Wednes- lah would start against City on day. Sunday. Wilson, who spent last season “I don’t say 100 per cent not, out on loan at second-tier Der- there’s a chance that they will by, hit a 25-yard screamer in the play, yes. We have to see how 53rd minute to add to first-half they react tomorrow, now train- goals from Brazil star Roberto ing is not the highest intensity Firmino and an own-goal by anymore, now training is about Joachim Andersen. the detail,” Klopp told liver- The game was European poolfc.com. champions Liverpool’s last Chelsea’s Pedro also scored a game before they face Manches- goal to remember with a back- ter City in the season-opening heeled volley from a Ross Bar- Community Shield at Wembley kley cross as Chelsea downed Liverpool’s Harry Wilson shoots to score this weekend. Salzburg 5-3. Liverpool also welcomed Christian Pulisic scored twice Meanwhile, Arsenal beat Angers took the lead through Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema scorfes past Fenerbahce’s back top scorer Mo - in the Londoners’ rout with Bar- French club Angers 4-3 on pen- Algerian Farid El Melali before goalkeeper Altay Bayindir hamed Salah who kley and Michy Batshuayi add- alties after playing out a 1-1 draw Reiss Nelson levelled just before was playing his ing to the total. in France. the interval. AFP | Munich solutions, we are going to Leroy work. I stand by my play - Sane rench striker Karim Ben- ers and I know that we are Fzema scored a hat-trick as going to make progress and Real Madrid defeated Fener- that we will have a very Bayern coach Kovac apologises to bahce 5-3 in a pre-season good season,” said Zidane friendly on Wednesday which whose team had been left temporarily lifted the summer bruised by a humiliating Guardiola over Sane pursuit gloom which has engulfed the 7-3 defeat by city rivals Spanish giants and coach Zin- Atletico in a friendly in AFP | Berlin menigge condemned as “not helpful in like him a lot. I think he has incredible edine Zidane. the United States last the negotiations”. gap to develop, incredible in terms of However, problems remain week. ayern Munich coach “I phoned and I apolo- being connected in the game,” Guardi- for Real as they have now “Nobody likes conced- BNico Kovac admitted gised to him because I was too offensive, ola said. conceded 16 goals in just five ing three goals but we have Wednesday that he had I will refrain in the future,” Kovac said “We want him, we want him to friendly matches. scored five. For us, this is a telephoned Manchester Wednesday after Bayern had lost to stay. That’s the reason why for more They faced their Turkish op- positive victory.” City boss Pep Guardiola to Tottenham on penalties in the final of a than one year he has an offer waiting ponents having been defeated Benzema said the humila- apologise over his public pur- pre-season tournament. to talk with his agent to extend the by Tottenham 1-0 on Tuesday tion at the hands of Atletico suit of the English club’s German Last week, Guardiola had urged Sane contract. in the first match of a four- was a thing of the past and striker Leroy Sane. to decide if he wants to stay at English “Beyond that it’s not in my hands, he team event which also features that the crucial date will be Kovac had said he was confi- champions or go to Bayern after the has to decide. If he wants to stay and German champions Bayern the weekend of August 17 dent a deal could be done for the unsettled star scored twice in a 6-1 rout reach an agreement it’s good, if he wants Munich. when the new La Liga sea- 23-year-old, comments which his of Hong Kong’s Kitchee. to leave we can decide what he can do. “We are going to find the son starts. own president Karl-Heinz Rum- “He’s a guy who I appreciate a lot, I Hopefully he stays.”