Erling Haaland netted a hat trick, leading Manchester City to a 4-2 victory against Chelsea in an English club football friendly held on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. The match was part of the pre-season tour for both teams.
City, the reigning Premier League champions, quickly established dominance, scoring goals 54 seconds apart in the first half and 71 seconds apart in the second half. The game attracted a crowd of 71,280 fans, showcasing Haaland's prowess as he wore the captain's armband.
The 24-year-old Norwegian striker opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the fourth minute. Just a minute later, following a giveaway by Chelsea's Moises Caicedo in the midfield, Haaland struck again with a right-footed shot into the right corner, putting City ahead 2-0.
Oscar Bobb extended the lead to three in the 55th minute, executing a skillful run down the right wing before cutting inside and firing a left-footed shot just inside the near post.
Haaland completed his hat trick in the 56th minute, taking advantage of a turnover in Chelsea's territory. After receiving a pass at the top of the box, he flicked a left-footed shot past two defenders for a 4-0 City lead just 25 seconds after the restart.
Chelsea responded with a goal from Raheem Sterling in the 59th minute, followed by a late goal from Noni Madueke in the 89th minute, but it was not enough to change the outcome.
This match served as a preview for the upcoming 2024-25 Premier League season, where Manchester City is set to face Chelsea again on August 18.
In another pre-season fixture, Liverpool secured a 3-0 victory over Manchester United in front of 77,559 spectators in Columbia, South Carolina.
Fabio Carvalho, a 21-year-old Portuguese striker, opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 10th minute. Mo Salah then provided a perfect centering pass to Curtis Jones in the 36th minute, allowing Jones to tap in with his left foot, extending Liverpool's lead to 2-0. Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas capped the scoring for Liverpool in the 61st minute, converting a rebound off the left post.
