Sport Updates
Courtois keeps Chelsea rolling
AFP
AFP, CHARLOTTE: Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made the difference Saturday, making two shoot-out saves and firing home the winner as the Blues downed Paris Saint Germain on penalties in an International Champions Cup friendly.
Ninety minutes of action saw the teams level at 1-1 after a goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first half and Victor Moses in the second.
Courtois saved the day for the Premier League champions, denying spot-kicks from Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Thiago Silva before blasting the winner into the top corner for the 6-5 shoot-out triumph against the French champions.
It was a morale-boosting win for Chelsea, who fell 4-2 to Major League Soccers New York Red Bulls to open their pre-season North American tour.
The match between two clubs that clashed in the late stages of the Champions League the past two seasons got off to a tense start before a crowd of 61,224 at Bank of America Stadiumhome of the NFLs Carolina Panthers.
The first minute saw a run-in between Diego Costa and Paris defender Serge Aurier, while Ibrahimovic appeared to strike John Terry in the head a couple of minutes before scoring, although neither player was cautioned.
Paris Saint Germain went ahead in the 25th minute. After Matuidi won possession near the edge of the penalty area and fed Jean-Kevin Augustin.
