Lorenzo Colombo scored twice in the first half and Marco Nasti netted the decisive goal to secure a 3-2 victory for AC Milan over English Premier League champion Manchester City on Saturday in New York. Nasti’s winning goal came in the 78th minute, as the 20-year-old Italian striker converted a centering pass from Belgian right winger Alexis Saelemaekers, firing an inside right-foot shot into the net. Several European teams are participating in pre-season matches in the US ahead of the start of their league campaigns next month.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Manchester City in the 19th minute, but Italian forward Colombo responded for AC Milan with goals in the 30th and 34th minutes, giving the Italian side a 2-1 lead at halftime at Yankee Stadium.
City equalized in the 55th minute when Manchester-born winger Micah Hamilton crossed the ball from the left side into the box, allowing English striker James McAtee to head the ball into the net, setting the stage for Nasti’s game-winning goal.
In Los Angeles, Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 81st minute to secure a 2-1 victory for Arsenal over Manchester United in a friendly at SoFi Stadium. Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring in the 10th minute for United, receiving a clearing pass from Marcus Rashford and battling Arsenal defender Ayden Heaven into the box before scoring between the legs of Gunners goalkeeper Karl Hein.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus equalized in the 26th minute, tapping in a centering pass from close range as United’s appeals for an offside call went unanswered. Martinelli, who won gold with Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics, came in from the left side and flicked in a right-footed shot inside the near post, securing Arsenal’s victory.
Celtic trounced Chelsea
Earlier, Japan’s Kyogo Furuhashi and Denmark’s Matt O’Riley scored first-half goals to lead Celtic to a 4-1 victory over Chelsea. Luis Palma and Michael Johnston added second-half goals for the Glasgow side, while Christopher Nkunku scored a consolation goal for the Londoners with an 89th-minute penalty kick.
Celtic, who defeated Man City 4-3 on Tuesday, dominated the match at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Celtic took the lead in the 19th minute with O’Riley’s left-footed shot from the right side of the box into the far post. Furuhashi, left unmarked, tapped in a left-footed shot from close range in the 33rd minute off a centering pass from O’Riley, giving the Scottish side a 2-0 halftime advantage.
Honduran striker Palma extended the lead in the 76th minute, and Johnston scored Celtic’s final goal in the 79th minute.
