Established 1961 27 Sports Monday, July 22, 2019 Kane 93rd minute stunner earns Spurs the victory over Juventus ‘It’s probably one of the best goals of my career’ SINGAPORE: Harry Kane scored a stunning 93rd tap-in. “It was a very good game, very competitive. To minute winner from the halfway line as Tottenham be honest, we are still short in our preparations and I Hotspur edged Juventus 3-2 in an entertaining pre-sea- wasn’t planning to play this way so early in the pre- son friendly in Singapore yesterday. The England cap- season ... we were still hoping to give some players tain latched onto Lucas Moura’s short pass and more rest after a long campaign,” Spurs manager launched a first-time shot high over a scrambling sub- Mauricio Pochettino said. stitute keeper Wojciech Szczesny as Spurs rallied past “The result was not the most important thing today, new manager Maurizio Sarri’s Italian champions in the performance was and how we continue our prepa- front of a delighted National Stadium crowd. rations for the upcoming season.” Juventus had more “It’s probably one of the best goals of my career. I success after the break when they increased their tem- noticed the keeper was often off of his line and thought po and went more direct, and halftime substitute if I get a chance to shoot I will and it just went in,” Gonzalo Higuain levelled the score in the 56th minute Kane said in a post-match interview. A youthful Spurs with a drilled strike after exchanging neat passes with dominated the first half as Juventus struggled to adapt Federico Bernardeschi. to their new coach’s “Sarri-ball” tactic of playing out Buoyed by the equalizer, Juventus were soon ahead from the back with short, quick passes. Instead of when Cristiano Ronaldo arrived late to drive home moving the ball forward, Juventus often found them- Mattia De Sciglio’s cutback four minutes later, leaving selves defending desperately after being caught in pos- to rapturous applause by an adoring crowd when he session as Spurs pressed high up the pitch with the was substituted immediately after scoring. Spurs were Premier League side going on to take a deserved lead level in the 65th minute, however, when Champions on the half-hour mark. League semi-final hero Lucas fired home record sign- ing Tanguy Ndombele’s low cross, the French midfield- ‘Very competitive’ er finding the Brazilian with his first touch after coming Son Heung-min started the move by holding up play on as a substitute. Kane and Higuain both squandered and feeding Troy Parrott for a clear run at Gianluigi good chances to score winning goals in the final 10 Buffon in the Juventus goal, with the 17-year-old for- minutes before the England striker prevented the con- SINGAPORE: Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane (R) kicks the ball during the International Champions Cup football match ward’s low strike parried by the veteran keeper straight test going to a penalty shootout with the most brilliant between Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur. — AFP into the path of an unmarked Erik Lamela for a routine of strikes. — AFP Under-23s role to work alongside Bayern beat Arsenal Next Emery, bringing a wide knowledge of his former charges. “From the Under-15s I worked with Madrid in Gen ready to him,” Saka added. “It has been a long journey but I feel like we both deserve Hazard’s ‘take on the it. “Freddie helps Unai know who we are, tells him our strengths and weak- nesses and comes to us individually Real debut world’: Saka and tells us what we need to do from Unai. “Unai does not have to speak to us directly, Freddie comes to us and LOS ANGELES: Bayern Munich spoiled CHARLOTTE: After impressing in a tells us what we need to do. It makes Eden Hazard’s Real Madrid debut, downing starting role for Arsenal in their 3-0 the transition from the academy to the the Spanish giants 3-1 in a friendly in win over Fiorentina on Saturday, 17- Houston Saturday despite goalkeeper Sven year-old Bukayo Saka said he is ready first team much smoother.” Ulreich’s sending off. Corentin Tolisso, to “take on the world” as part of an Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry exciting next generation of talent. Emery being patient had given Bundesliga champions Bayern a Arsenal made it three wins from three Arsenal manager Unai Emery said comfortable 3-0 lead before recent Real on their tour of the United States, he is happy to be patient in the transfer Madrid signing Rodrygo grabbed a conso- including two in the International market and will wait for the right player lation goal with a brilliant free kick. Champions Cup, with victory in humid to become available. “Really I am with That followed Ulreich’s departure in the conditions in Charlotte, where young- patience because we want to choose 81st for a foul on Brazilian teen Rodrygo sters again came to the fore. the best solution,” Emery said. “Some outside the area. Rodrygo, Luka Jovic and With Arsenal yet to make a major players are very expensive and we are Ferland Mendy all made their debuts for signing in the summer transfer window, waiting for this possibility. “We don’t rebuilding Real Madrid — all coming on at coach Unai Emery has instead utilized want now to go to the second line of halftime as Zinedine Zidane changed his some of the young talent at his disposal players. “We are waiting. We have very entire side. Hazard’s first outing in a Madrid in the US, and has been rewarded as all good players. We have very good jersey since his high-priced move from eight of Arsenal’s pre-season goals young players. Chelsea had dominated the headlines. HOUSTON: Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema (L) and Bayern Munich defender Jerome “We are aware also that we need to Boateng fight for the ball during their International Champions Cup match. — AFP have been scored by youngsters. One But despite getting a starting nod he of those is Saka, who again shone in a improve some players in this squad. I made little impact at the NRG Stadium — wide role against Fiorentina, and now want to sign one, two, three or four home of the NFL’s Houston Texans, where begging in the 43rd, meeting a cross from left and bent a shot toward the far post believes that he and his fellow proteges players only if we can be sure they are the European giants produced plenty of Isco but knocking his effort wide. Neuer only for Neuer to punch it away. have what it takes to go far. coming to improve our team.” Arsenal lively end-to-end action from the kickoff. It came up with another impressive save in Zidane’s wholesale changes at the “The players coming up from the have been linked with William Saliba in needed a stellar display from Bayern goal- the 45th, diving to his right to grab Luka interval did nothing to further Real academy are so special,” Saka said. the British press, in a deal that would keeper Manuel Neuer to keep Real Madrid Modric’s effort from 10 yards out of the air. Madrid’s cause, even though they con- “The next generation of us can be in see the defender return to current club at bay. Bayern led at the interval thanks to Courtois fended off a blast from Coman trolled possession early in the second this Arsenal team and take on the Saint-Etienne in France on loan as part Tolisso’s 15th-minute strike. in first-half injury time to keep Bayern half. Lewandowski doubled Bayern’s lead world. “The boss is doing a good job of of the deal. Thomas Muller freed Kingsley Coman from stretching their advantage before the in the 67th controlling a high ball from managing all of us, helping us to Emery, however, said there were a whose cross made it to Tolisso — who was break. While Real Madrid applied plenty Niklas Sule, turning and firing into the progress every day and to learn. “I just number of possibilities floating around denied by Real Madrid keeper Thibaut of pressure, Hazard was circumspect, often bottom corner. Two minutes later Madrid have to keep pushing. Showing the and he was in constant contact with Courtois on his first attempt but slotted opting to pass off to his new teammates. gave the ball away deep in their own end boss what I can do and when the time sporting director Edu and head of foot- home the rebound. Down a goal with half- The closest the 28-year old Belgian came and an unmarked Gnabry was able to comes I am ready to play. When I get ball Raul Sanllehi, while they also spoke time approaching Real Madrid poured it on. to his first Real Madrid goal was in the control the ball and fire past Keylor the chance then I can take it.” Saka with the club’s owners the Kroenke Karim Benzema let a golden chance go 39th minute, when he found space on the Navas in goal. — AFP also hailed the influence of new Arsenal family. “There are a lot of names. The assistant coach Freddie Ljungberg, club is working, Edu is very close to me who has been promoted from the and Raul,” Emery said. — Reuters Solskjaer targets all three titles (La Liga, Champions Griezmann League and Copa del Rey), and that more signings goes for the players and the leaders too, and me too,” he said.