Soccer

Sánchez stars before Man United beat AC Milan in penalty epic

Sadio Mane completes Liverpool’s comeback against Manchester City in New York

Alexis Sanchez scores Manchester United’s opener against AC Milan. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty

Thu Jul 26 2018 - 08:37

AC Milan 1 Manchester United 1 (Man United win 9-8 on penalties)

Manchester United saw off AC Milan in an epic penalty shoot-out in their International Champions Cup clash in Carson, California.

Alexis Sanchez’s 12th-minute strike was cancelled out three minutes later by Suso and, after the game finished 1-1, the teams needed 26 penalties to separate them as the Red Devils prevailed 9-8.

Sanchez slotted a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma to open the scoring but Suso's clinical finish drew the Serie A side level.

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Donnarumma and his replacement Pepe Reina both made excellent saves, while Fabio Borini hit the post at the other end as the match went to penalties with no further score.

Joel Pereira saved from Borini and Suso and then scored United's fifth penalty, Reina responding in kind to take it to sudden death.

Joel Pereira during Manchester United’s penalty shootout win over AC Milan. Photograph: John McCoy/Getty

It continued all the way back around to the first takers and Andreas Pereira and Ander Herrera each scored for a second time.

Milan's Franck Kessie, attempting to match Pereira's 'Panenka' finish, sent his second spot-kick over the bar to decide the game.

Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Grant (Pereira J); Smalling, Bailly, Tuanzebe; Darmian, Herrera, Pereira A, Shaw (Fosu-Mensah, 75); McTominay, Mata; Sánchez

AC Milan (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Abate, Musacchio, Bonucci, Calabria; Kessie, Locatelli, Bertolacci; Suso, Cutrone, Calhanoglu

Referee: Baldomero Toledo

Booked: Herrera (90)

Attendance: 21,742

Manchester City 1 Liverpool 2

Sadio Mane’s stoppage-time penalty sealed a 2-1 comeback win for Liverpool over Manchester City in the International Champions Cup.

After a goalless first half to the match in New York, the game came to life in the second with Leroy Sane breaking the deadlock to put City ahead after 57 minutes.

Their lead did not last long, however, as Mohamed Salah buried a header six minutes later — with his second touch of the game and just 52 seconds after coming off the bench.

Sadio Mane scores Liverpool’s winner against Man City. Photograph: Adam hunger/Reuters

The Egyptian came close to scoring another two in the closing minutes — a header was blocked on the line and his second effort struck the crossbar.

But the period of concerted pressure from the Reds finally paid off in injury time.

Awarded a penalty when Dominic Solanke was fouled in the back by Tosin Adarabioyo, Liverpool forward Mane rolled his spot-kick to the left as Joe Hart dived in the opposite direction, providing a dramatic close to the match between the Premier League rivals.

Manchester City (3-5-1-1): Bravo (Hart, 46); Humphreys, Garcia, Denayer (Gomes, 46); Bolton, Mahrez (Dele-Bashiru, 75), Zinchenko (Roberts, 73), Foden, Harrison; Diaz (B.Silva, 46); Nmecha (Sane, 46).

Liverpool (4-3-3): Karius (Kelleher, 46); Clyne (Camacho, 61), Gomez (Klavan, 46), van Dijk, Robertson (Moreno, 61); Wijnaldum (Solanke, 46), Fabinho (Grujic, 61), Milner; Lallana (Woodburn, 46), Sturridge (Mane, 46), Jones (Salah, 61).

Referee: Sorin Stoica

Booked: Van Dijk, Gomes

Attendance: 52,635

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