Real Madrid's goalkeeper Keylor Navas fails to stop a penalty goal during the International Champions Cup soccer match against AS Roma at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia Saturday. — Reuters MELBOURNE — Rafa Benitez kicked off his tenure as Real Madrid boss with a frustrating 7-6 penalty shootout loss to AS Roma in a pre-season friendly Saturday.
With both teams goalless at full-time in front of a crowd of 80,746 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the International Champions Cup match was decided by penalty shootout and Seydou Keita slotted the winner after a miss by Lucas Vazquez.
Roma had the better chances in a goal-less first half and was denied an opener after three minutes when Daniele De Rossi hit the crossbar with a right-footed shot from the center of the box.
Gareth Bale fired a shot over the bar three minutes later before Sergio Ramos, wearing the captain's armband after the recent departure of long-serving goalkeeper Iker Casillas, also chipped over from a corner kick in the ninth minute.
Casillas' replacement in goal, Keylor Navas, was forced to make a fine save in the 30th minute, leaping to his right to put a glove on a Salih Ucan volley after the shaggy-haired Turk latched onto a corner kick from Totti at the far post.
Karim Benzema, who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo at the break, then squandered a gilt-edged chance when his wild left-footed shot soared high and wide after a pinpoint cross from Russian winger Denis Cheryshev. The match ended in a flurry of shots.
Nasri nabs late winner Samir Nasri scored a late winner as English giants Manchester City beat their Australian sister club Melbourne City 1-0 in a football friendly on the Gold Coast Saturday.
The Frenchman struck with a superb late volley in the 86th minute to break the deadlock in the first meeting between the two clubs. Nasri chested down Bruno Zuculini's cross before lashing home a well struck volley high into the net.
United launches tour with win Manchester United new signing Morgan Schneiderlin scored a debut goal as the English Premier League giant launched its four-match US tour with a 1-0 victory over Club America of Mexico Friday.
French international Schneiderlin, who sealed a reported $39 million move to Old Trafford from Southampton earlier this month, steered home a fifth-minute header to secure the win at Seattle's CenturyLink Field.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was satisfied after a testing first run-out for his new-look squad. — Agencies
