Chelsea 0-0 Lyon (5-4 on pens)

Eden Hazard scores winning penalty after Rob Green stars in shootout after goalless draw in the International Champions Cup

• Chelsea ended their pre-season preparations with a goalless draw in the International Champions Cup
• Rob Green saved the decisive penalty in the shootout before Eden Hazard stepped up to score the winner 
• Lyon had a penalty appeal waved away after Memphis Depay was brought down in the box in the first half
• Willian, Chelsea's captain for the night, had his well-struck free kick matched by Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes
• Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek struck the post with a cheeky dink after the restart after a well-worked move

MC juara Community Shield 2018

Sergio Aguero double seals Community Shield for Manchester City as sloppy Chelsea give Maurizio Sarri plenty to ponder

On another baking hot afternoon Manchester City certainly did not look under-cooked. The champions set the standard for the new season as they comprehensively out-played – and not just beat – Chelsea to win the Community Shield.

Manager Pep Guardiola had said he was “starving” for more success and his team looked ravenous. Another trophy has come their way, albeit the fifth of importance that they will contest this campaign, but the resonance went far beyond.

There were two goals for the predatory Sergio Aguero – the first being his 200thfor City – but it was the manner of their construction, and the architects of them, that was so impressive. On both occasions City carved through Chelsea.

Phil Foden, the great young hope at still just 18, created the first and also released Aguero with the pass of the match – a wonderful wedged ball through with back-spin to bring it back to the striker – while John Stones continued his imperious form from the World Cup, just three weeks to the day after returning from Russia, and Bernardo Silva looked like a player trying to prove a point. The only disappointment was an indifferent performance from £60million signing Riyad Mahrez and the confirmation, if any were needed, that goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is not going to be challenging Ederson for his place.

For Chelsea’s new manager Maurizio Sarri this was a sobering experience. A bit like the over-size T-shirt be wore Chelsea did not, on this evidence, look like a good fit with his marquee signing of Jorginho struggling to impose himself and Ross Barkley barely involved while it was a miserable day for Alvaro Morata. Jorginho turned down City, of course, to join Chelsea for £57million but this was not a glimpse of what got away.

The Italian will get better and so will Chelsea and not least when they have their World Cup players – N’Golo Kante and, should he stay, Eden Hazard in particular – back but there is work to do for Sarri to impose his bold style. The bright spot? An encouraging hour from 17-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi and not much else.

The goals said it all. They said it all about the daunting gap between these two sides which Chelsea are trying to close. For the first City built from the back with the ball fed to Foden who strode forward and simply laid the ball off to Aguero. Antonio Rudiger anticipated the return pass, moved to his left and the space opened up for Aguero to drive a low left-foot shot through the defender’s legs and into the corner of the net. Good finish; bad defending with Chelsea sitting far too deep.

For Aguero’s second Stones intercepted a pass and ran forward with substitute Ilkay Gundogan laying the ball to Bernardo who threaded it through to Aguero who had ran behind David Luiz. Unerringly he side-footed home. It should, in fact, have completed a hat-trick for Aguero who had earlier been released on goal by Foden with his brilliant pass with the outside of his boot but the Argentinean hesitated, rounded goalkeeper Willy Caballero but then shot into the side-netting. Soon after he drew a smart block from his compatriot with a fierce volley.

Such was City’s dominance that Guardiola could experiment as he pushed Stones into midfield for the final 10 minutes after bringing on Vincent Kompany while Foden rightly received a standing ovation as he, too, was substituted.

Arsenal tutup kempen pra-musim dengan kemenangan

Unai Emery terpaksa akur bahawa pemain pertahanan, Nacho Monreal, tidak mungkin diturunkan untuk Arsenal menghadapi aksi pembukaan Liga Perdana Inggeris (EPL) menentang juara bertahan, Manchester City, Ahad depan akibat masalah lutut.

Monreal menyertai Sepanyol dalam kempen Piala Dunia Russia 2018 dan meskipun dia tidak mengalami kecederaan besar, dia dilanda kecederaan ringan. 

Emery, yang sedang mempersiapkan kempen pertamanya dalam kancah EPL, menerima tamparan dalam percaturannya susulan kehilangan Sead Kolasinac yang dijangka akan kembali dalam tempoh dua bulan.

Pemain muda, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, dipertaruhkan untuk menampung kecederaan pemain Bosnia-Herzegovina itu dan Emery berhasrat untuk melonjakkan keyakinannya, terutama apabila Monreal bergelut untuk cergas sempena kunjungan City.

"Dia (Kolasinac) tiba tanpa kecederaan berat, begitupun lututnya mengalami sedikit masalah dan dia berlatih setiap hari tetapi bukan bersama dengan skuad utama," kata Emery sejurus mengakhiri kempen pra-musim mereka dengan kemenangan selesa 2-0 ke atas Lazio di Stockholm, awal pagi tadi. 

"Dia berlatih bersendirian di samping jurulatih fizikal dan melakukan larian. Kami jangka pada Selasa nanti, dia sudah boleh memulakan latihan dengan pasukan.

"Kami tidak menginginkan kecederaan tetapi ia adalah salah satu perkara yang tidak dapat kami elakkan. Kami mempunyai pemain seperti Nacho tetapi dia tiba lewat susulan Piala Dunia dan turut mengalami kecederaan kecil.

"Sukar untuknya menghadapi Manchester City. Kami sedang berusaha membantu Ainsley bermain di posisi itu.

"Saya mahu memberi keyakinan kepada semua anak buah saya supaya dia boleh beraksi dalam posisi ini sebaik mungkin. Saya memiliki kepercayaan tinggi terhadap semua pemain."

Pemain muda, Reiss Nelson, memecah kebuntuan pada minit ke-18 sementara Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang memastikan kemunculannya dalam separuh masa kedua dirasai dengan menemui sentuhan penyudah menerusi sepakan leret pada minit ke-64 sambil muka baru, Lucas Torreira dan Stephan Lichtsteine, turut membuat penampilan pertama bersama The Gunners. 

Perak lepas peluang kutip 3 mata di laman sendiri dgn pendatang baharu Felcra

Pemain tengah Perak, Brendan Gan (kiri) cuba melepasi halangan pemain pertahanan Felcra FC, Mohd. Alif Samsudin dalam perlawanan pertama Kumpulan A Piala Malaysia di Stadium Perak, Ipoh mlm tadi.

IPOH - Pasukan bola sepak Perak melepaskan peluang baik untuk memperoleh kemenangan ke atas Felcra FC selepas hanya sekadar seri tanpa jaringan dalam perlawanan pertama Kumpulan A Piala Malaysia di gelanggang sendiri di Stadium Perak di sini malam tadi.

Perak bermula garang seawal minit pertama perlawanan apabila terus menekan pasukan lawan dalam usaha mendapatkan jaringan awal perlawanan. 

The Bos Gaurus mendapat peluang baik pada minit kedua apabila penyerang mereka, Gilmar Jose da Silva Filho menanduk bola tepat ke gawang Felcra FC tetapi ia berjaya ditepis penjaga gol, Mohamad Fadley Abdul Rahim. 

Berselang 10 minit kemudian, giliran Felcra FC menyusun serangan dan mereka memperoleh peluang apabila penyerang, Anselmo Arruda da Silva membawa bola masuk ke dalam kotak penalti sebelum melepaskan tendangan namun berjaya dihalang pemain pertahanan Perak. 

Pasukan tuan rumah sekali lagi mendapat peluang untuk mendapatkan jaringan pada minit ke-32 namun bola tendangan penyerangnya, Wander Luiz Bitencourt Junior sekadar melepasi palang gol pasukan lawan. 

Pemain import pertahanan Perak, Jad Noureddine terlepas peluang untuk mendapatkan gol buat pasukannya apabila tandukannya selepas mendapat bola tinggi lambungan rakan sepasukan di dalam kotak penalti sedikit tersasar pada minit ke-40. 

Keputusan seri tanpa jaringan kekal sehingga wisel penamat babak pertama dibunyikan. 

Bersambung babak kedua, Perak memperkemaskan serangan namun tendangan kencang Brendan Gan berjaya ditanduk keluar pemain pertahanan Felcra FC. 

Beberapa percubaan pemain Perak turut berjaya dinafikan apabila Mohamad Fadley beraksi cemerlang mempertahankan bola daripada menerjah gawang Felcra FC.

Perak turut mendapat peluang untuk mendapatkan jaringan selepas pemain pertahanan Felcra, Mohamad Fandi Othman menerima layangan kad kuning kedua sekaligus terpaksa keluar dari perlawanan kerana dia menahan bola menggunakan tangan berhampiran kotak penalti pada minit ke-83.

Bagaimanapun, peluang tersebut tidak dimanfaatkan sepenuhnya oleh pasukan tuan rumah dan keputusan seri tanpa jaringan itu kekal sehingga tamat perlawanan yang dihadiri lebih 2,400 penyokong kedua-dua pasukan. - K! ONLINE 

Gergasi Merah rebah di Shah Alam, skuad Penyu ratah Kuala Lumpur 5-1

HAJAT Selangor untuk membuka tirai Piala Malaysia 2018 dengan langkah kanan di gelanggang keramat tidak kesampaian selepas tumbang 0-3 kepada pasukan Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP FC) di Stadium Shah Alam malam tadi.

Taktik pasukan bimbingan Abu Bakar Fadzim mengasak benteng pertahanan skuad Gergasi Merah berjaya membuahkan hasil apabila kapten, Mohamad Hafiz Ramdan menjaringkan gol pertama pada minit ke-23 sebelum Fandi Ahmad Irfan meletakkan kedudukan selesa pada minit ke-30.

Pemain pertahanan kelab yang berpangkalan di Ipoh itu, Ritus Krjauklis memastikan PKNP FC mengutip tiga mata dalam aksi pertama Kumpulan D apabila meledak gol ketiga pada minit ke-61.

AKSI penyerang Selangor, Rufino Segovia (tengah) ketika cuba melepasi kawalan pemain PKNP FC, Ritus Krjauklis (kanan) dalam saingan Kumpulan D Piala Malaysia di Stadium Shah Alam malam tadi.

Sementara itu, di Stadium Kuala Lumpur, Cheras, Terengganu Football Club I (TFC I) berada dalam kelas tersendiri apabila membelasah Kuala Lumpur 5-1 pada aksi Kumpulan A

Kapten skuad Penyu, Kipre Tchetche muncul sebagai wira skuad kendalian Irfan Bakti Abu Salim apabila mencipta hatrik (min-25, min-55 dan min-72) selain Lee Tuck dan Igor Zonjic masing-masing meledak satu gol pada minit ke-44 dan 64.

Gol sagu hati Kuala Lumpur pula hadir menerusi Mohamad Zaquan Adha Abd Radzak pada minit ke-85.

Dalam satu lagi aksi Kumpulan D, Pahang terikat 1-1 dengan Sabah di Kuantan, manakala Felcra FC pula seri tanpa jaringan menentang Perak pada aksi Kumpulan A di Ipoh.

SELANGOR harap tuah Stadium Shah Alam

PASUKAN Selangor mengharapkan aura Stadium Shah Alam yang kembali menjadi laman rasmi skuad Gergasi Merah pada aksi pertama Kumpulan D Piala Malaysia menentang kelab Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP FC) malam ini.

Sebelum ini juara Piala Malaysia sebanyak 33 kali itu menggunakan Stadium Kuala Lumpur, Cheras sebagai gelanggang rasmi dan keputusan terbaru dibuat oleh kerajaan negeri bulan lalu adalah sebagai tanda sokongan kepada Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Selangor (FAS) yang baharu Raja Muda Selangor (RMS), Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Pemain tengah Selangor, Azamuddin Akil mengharapkan pertukaran venue tersebut dapat memberikan semangat baharu buat pasukan dalam misi memburu kejuaraan kali ke-34 untuk Selangor.

“Aksi pertama peringkat kumpulan sangat penting dan kami mengharapkan keputusan positif memihak Selangor selepas dapat kembali beraksi di stadium keramat ini.

“Moral dan keyakinan pemain amat penting ketika berdepan PKNP FC meskipun kami telah mencatatkan kemenangan baru-baru ini untuk aksi liga di Ipoh.

“Saya mengharapkan semua rakan sepasukan waspada kebangkitan skuad kendalian Abu Bakar Fadzim kerana pastinya mereka akan tampil dengan harapan untuk menebus kekecewaan lalu.

“Aksi di liga dan kempen Piala Malaysia adalah dua saingan yang berbeza dan kami tidak boleh mengulangi kesilapan sama se­perti yang telah berlaku kepada pasukan sebelum ini jika ingin melangkah jauh,” katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Selain Selangor dan PKNP FC, Kumpulan D turut disertai Sabah dan Pahang.

Kempen Piala Malaysia juga menjadi pentas buat Selangor untuk menebus kekecewaan setelah tewas 0-2 kepada Pahang pada aksi final Piala FA awal bulan lalu.

Jurgen Klopps spending means Liverpool must win something this season

• Liverpool have once again strengthened their squad across the summer window
• Jurgen Klopp has brought in a new goalkeeper and added to his midfield ranks
• That investment brings pressure though and the Reds must win a trophy soon
• Klopp has played in three finals during his Liverpool reign and lost all of them 

Jurgen Klopp simply has to win something this year after spending a huge amount of money

It did not take too long for Jurgen Klopp to admit it when the question was posed last month. Adam Lallana concurred. Liverpool, with all the money spent, now have to win trophies.

‘It is the next step and we need to be ready for that,’ Klopp said. ‘I cannot give guarantees here but I understand if people think that.’

Of course there are no guarantees. They could not have foreseen Mo Salah trudging off in the Champions League final or the catastrophic performance of Loris Karius against Real Madrid.

But Liverpool now have to prepare themselves for expectations to soar through the roof. Klopp simply has to win something this year after losing three finals – the Champions League, Europa League and League Cup – during his three years as manager.

The German has been backed to the hilt in the transfer market by Fenway Sports Group, with a splurge of £250million taking in the most expensive centre half and goalkeeper in world football.

Allison and Virgil van Dijk give the Reds a base they simply have not had for years and, while the spending is offset by the big-money departure of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, it now demands silverware

They are now lavishing the sort of finance that the Manchester clubs possess and with that comes additional, and warranted, pressure. Liverpool’s success should now be held against City and United because of the resources ploughed into the team.

Klopp brought in the most expensive defender in world football in Virgil van Dijk in January

Alisson (pictured) and Van Dijk give the Reds a base they simply have not had for years

Klopp knows that and nobody at Anfield has shied away from the facts. ‘It’s a really exciting time,’ Lallana said. ‘I’m delighted to be at a top club like Liverpool that are going to be challenging for trophies again and I’m looking forward to playing for England again.

‘For my club, I just want to take the next step now. We’ve been in a few finals that we haven’t been victorious in and that needs to change.

Fabinho forms just one part of the huge midfield investment at Anfield alongside Naby Keita

Even if Salah failed to hit the heights of his debut season, ending with 44 goals, he is sure to chip in with a decent number. Those around him, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, need to do their fair share too. Xherdan Shaqiri has the sort of X-Factor from the bench that can change games.

But it is in midfield where the added power and gusto should come. Naby Keita, a £53m signing from Red Bull Leipzig, has taken Steven Gerrard's iconic No 8 shirt and is expected to be the one charged with joining in further up the pitch.

Fabinho is the sort of capture that will offer a soothing influence in the midfield three, the sort of ball player Liverpool have not seen in quite some time. They have all the tools. Anything less than silverware this season must go down as a failure on Merseyside.