28/07/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | JULY 28, 2025

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A C MILAN beat Liverpool 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong yesterday as the Premier League club’s record signing Florian Wirtz made his first start for them. Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath before the game and the players had “Diogo J 20” on their shirts in honour of their former teammate Diogo Jota, who died along with his brother Andre Silva in a car accident in Spain this month. The English champions fell behind in the 10th minute when Rafael Leao scored from a Christian Pulisic pass. Dominik Szoboszlai levelled 20 minutes later with a curling shot from the edge of the box following an assist by Rio Ngumoha who latched onto a long ball from Ryan Gravenberch. Leao orchestrated a devastating counter-attack as

AC too hot for Reds Liverpool beaten 4-2 by Milan in pre-season friendly

goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili who had rushed out of his box. “Conceding four isn’t what we want but you have to consider the circumstances, we missed seven senior players, and wanted to give 20 players playing time, so players have to play out of position,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said. “We still were able to play our normal game, but we were a bit too open in the counter-attack.” Mamardashvili replaced Alisson Becker in the second half, while Milan’s new defender Pervis Estupinan, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, also made his debut. Wirtz and Ngumoha were the standouts for Liverpool in the first half, and Jeremie Frimpong impressed in the second but Arne Slot’s team were outplayed by their Italian opponents. – Reuters

because the team has a proactive attitude and significantly raised its level of endurance,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “As for Leao, I believe he’s growing and has the mature mindset to have a great season.” Milan appointed Allegri in May for a second stint after sacking Sergio Conceicao, having finished eighth in Serie A and missing out on European competition for the first time since 2019. Cody Gakpo nodded in a stoppage-time consolation for Liverpool before Okafor walked in his second following a bad mix-up between Kostas Tsimikas and new Liverpool

Milan reclaimed the lead early in the second half. The Portuguese winger powered past Conor Bradley on the left flank and squared for Ruben Loftus-Cheek who fired home from inside the box. Mohamed Salah spurned an opportunity from a Wirtz assist and Liverpool looked increasingly vulnerable as time passed by. Noah Okafor added Milan’s third in the 60th minute. “The most beautiful and

important thing I’m happy about in these first 20 days of work

27/07/2025 (SUN)

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AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw (right) fights for the ball with Liverpool’s Andy Robertson (left) during their friendly exhibition match in Hong Kong. – AFPPIC

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Draw Date: 27/07/25 (Sun)

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Bruno at the double for Devils BRUNO FERNANDES scored twice as Manchester United kicked off their tour of the United States with a 2-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League Summer Series tournament in New Jersey yesterday. Areola to put United in control. Bowen’s clever finish in the 63rd minute reduced the deficit, and the England forward forced a good save from Altay Bayindir in injury time, but United held on.

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“It’s good to win, even being a friendly – we want to get every game to prepare ourselves in the best way and obviously go into the season in a positive way,” Fernandes told NBC Sports after the victory. “Overall the game was good, we were very good on the ball. In some moments we could have done longer possessions and we rushed it a little bit. We have to work on that… but I think overall it was a very good game for us.” United’s new signing Bryan Mbeumo travelled with the team to the United States but did not feature in the matchday squad. Mbeumo could make his debut when United face Bournemouth in the second round of fixtures in the four-team tournament in Chicago on Thursday. Bournemouth, meanwhile, cruised to a 3-0 victory over Everton in their opener earlier at the same venue. Goals from Philip Billing, Dango Outtara and Daniel Adu-Adjei sealed a comfortable win for Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side. – AFP

United skipper Fernandes punished two blunders by West Ham’s France international goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to seal victory for Ruben Amorim’s side in sweltering conditions at the MetLife Stadium. Areola was at fault for both of United’s goals and although Jarrod Bowen pulled a goal back for the Hammers, the London club never seriously troubled the 13-time Premier League champions. Fernandes opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the fifth minute, calmly sending Areola the wrong way after the Frenchman had needlessly shoved Ayden Heaven to the ground after losing possession. Fernandes doubled United’s lead in the 52nd minute with a clever finish after another howler from Areola, whose sloppy pass out from the back went straight to United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo on the edge of the area. Mainoo slipped a pass to Fernandes, who then coolly lifted a finish over the stranded

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