WASHINGTON: Erling Haaland’s hat trick, including two goals in the first five minutes, led Manchester City over Chelsea 4-2 on Saturday in an English club football friendly at Columbus, Ohio. Reigning Premier League champion City scored goals 54 seconds apart in the first half and 71 seconds apart in the second half to dominate the fixture, part of a US pre-season tour for both clubs.

Haaland wore the captain’s armband and showed a crowd of 71,280 why he is considered among the world’s best players. The 24-year-old Norwegian striker scored on a penalty kick in the fourth minute and, after a Moises Caicedo give away in the Chelsea half, smashed a right-footed shot into the right corner for a 2-0 City lead in the fifth minute — only 17 seconds after the restart.

Oscar Bobb boosted the lead to three in the 55th minute, taking the ball down the right wing and cutting inside to fire a left-footed shot past a defender and just inside the near post. Haaland then completed his hat trick in the 56th minute after City forced a turnover in Chelsea territory.

Haaland took a pass at the top of the box between two defenders and flicked in a left-footed shot for a 4-0 City edge only 25 seconds after the restart. Raheem Sterling answered for Chelsea in the 59th minute and Noni Madueke added a final goal in the 89th but it was too little and too late.

The game was a preview of the start to the 2024-25 Premier League campaign for both clubs. Manchester City will open the season against Chelsea on August 18.

Liverpool beats Man Utd

In another pre-season US showdown of English giants, Liverpool blanked Manchester United 3-0 before 77,559 spectators at Columbia, South Carolina. Fabio Carvalho, a 21-year-old Portuguese striker, opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 10th minute.

In the 36th minute, Egyptian striker Mo Saleh got to the backline and fired a perfect centering pass to onrushing Curtis Jones, who tapped in with his left foot for a 2-0 Liverpool lead. Greek standout Kostas Tsimikas gave the Merseysiders a 3-0 edge in the 61st minute, knocking in a rebound off the left post. — AFP