ERLING HAALAND’S HAT-TRICK, including two goals in the first five minutes, gave Manchester City a 4-2 win over Chelsea in Saturday’s pre-season friendly in Columbus, Ohio.
Reigning Premier League champions 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 opened the scoring with a penalty in the fourth minute and, after Moises Caicedo gave the ball 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 stretched the lead to three in the 55th minute, taking the ball down the right wing and cutting inside to fire a left-footed shot just inside the near post.
Haaland then completed his hat -trick in the 56th minute after City forced a turnover in Chelsea territory.
Haaland then took a pass at the top of the box between two defenders and flicked in a left-footed shot to make it 4-0.
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.
- Liverpool win -
In another pre-season US friendly, Liverpool beat Manchester United 3-0 before 77,559 spectators at Columbia, South Carolina.
Fabio Carvalho opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 10th minute, before Liverpool doubled their lead on 36 minutes. Mo Salah got to the backline and fired a perfect pass to the onrushing Curtis Jones, who tapped in with his left foot to make it 2-0.
Kostas Tsimikas made it three in the 61st minute, knocking in a rebound off the left post.
