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Chelsea pip Inter on penalties

INT'L CHAMPIONS CUP
CHELSEA INTER MILAN
1 1
(Pedro Rodriguez 8) (Roberto Gagliardini 49)

*Chelsea win 5-4 on penalties.

Chelsea beat Inter Milan 5-4 on penalties as goalkeeper Willy Caballero saved from Milan Skriniar in the shoot-out following a 1-1 draw in their opening game of the International Champions Cup in Nice, France.

Spain international Pedro Rodriguez struck after just eight minutes in Nice, slotting in a rebound after Inter keeper Samir Handanovic saved from a lively Alvaro Morata.

It was a second goal in as many games for Pedro, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday, after he netted the winner in Monday’s 1-0 victory over Perth Glory in Australia.

Inter levelled early in the second half through Roberto Gagliardini, whose drilled shot proved too much for Argentina’s Caballero after fellow half-time substitute Tiemoue Bakayoko gave the ball away.

New Chelsea signing Jorginho nearly won it with a curling effort that forced Handanovic into a fine sprawling stop, while Tammy Abraham couldn’t hit the target as he tried to steer home an Emerson cross.

Twenty-year-old Argentinian Lautaro Martinez, who joined Inter from Racing Club at the start of July, almost snatched a winner for the Italian side in stoppage time when his sharp first-time strike was well kept out by Caballero.

Caballero, who was dropped at the World Cup following a 3-0 group stage loss to Croatia, saved from Skriniar with his legs in the shoot-out before Cesar Azpilicueta converted the decisive spot-kick.

Chelsea play English Premier League rivals Arsenal in Dublin on Wednesday before wrapping up their pre-season campaign at home to Lyon on Aug 7, two days after facing Manchester City in the Community Shield. – AFP

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