as Man United winSalt Lake City

Romelu Lukaku bagged his first

goal in a Manchester United shirt on Monday as the 10-man Premier League giants laboured to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake in Utah.

Lukaku, who joined the Red Devils from Everton in a reported 75

million pound ($98.2 million) transfer last

week, fired United ahead on 38 minutes, latching on to a

low cross from Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The 24-year-old Belgian international striker

had also been involved in United’s equalizer scored by Mkhitaryan in the 29th minute after Luis Silva had given Salt Lake a shock early lead.

Lukaku used his strength and physical presence to hold off the Real defence to feed Jesse Lingard, who provided the pass for Mkhitaryan to score.

United manager Jose Mourinho was pleased with Lukaku’s display, saying the former Chelsea player was now a “top striker.”

“It’s just nice for him, not important for me,” Mourinho said of Lukaku’s first United goal.

“Before he scored the goal I told him I love everything you do on the pitch. Don’t be worried about scoring or not scoring. He gets behind people, works and presses

well. Like everything he does. “It’s easy to feel it because he

was my player four years ago his evolution has been great. He’s now a top striker. The goal is just a detail, not important.” Red card woe

United’s win was marred by the second-half dismissal of Antonio Valencia for a reckless lunge on Sebastian Saucedo.

Valencia was given his marching orders after a lengthy consultation between the match referee and Mourinho. “The referee asked me to change the player and I didn’t because I don’t agree with the card,” Mourinho said, before appearing to suggest Saucedo was to blame.

“(He) was really aggressive in the second half. That’s what happens. Some other actions were a bit dangerous,” Mourinho said.

“It’s young people with

enthusiasm playing against Manchester United but it’s a friendly match and it’s a different mentality. But it’s preseason so no problem. It is good experience or us to play with one player less.”

The United goals were the rare highlights of a disjoined first half performance from Mourinho’s side, who had travelled to Utah earlier Monday from their Los Angeles training camp.

For much of the opening half United were second best, with their defence being given a torrid time by a team who are languishing near the foot of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference.

The lively attacking trio of Luis Silva, Joao Plata and Jefferson Savarino often left United’s defence scrambling to get into position, with Phil Jones finding the movement of the Salt Lake front two hard to deal with. (AFP)

Lukaku opens account SPORTSWednesday, July 19, 201722

Dortmund beat AC MilanGuangzhou

Borussia Dortmund insisted that Chelsea target Pierre-

Emerick Aubameyang was going nowhere after the Chelsea target scored twice in a 3-1 preseason win over AC Milan in China yesterday.

The coveted Gabon hitman showed just why Dortmund are so reluctant to part company with their star striker with two confidently taken goals in rain-lashed Guangzhou.

“We have decided that Auba will stay with BVB,” said Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc. “The transfer window is closed for him.”

Nuri Sahlin opened the scoring for Dortmund after 16 minutes following a period of sustained pressure, finding the net with a tidy side-footed shot after good work from American teen prodigy Christian Pulisic.

Aubameyang got on the

scoresheet against his former club two minutes later when he slammed a penalty into the top left corner to double Dortmund’s advantage after Pulisic had been tripped in the box. AC Milan pulled one back on 23 minutes when Columbian forward Carlos Bacca unleashed a low shot from distance with the outside

of his right boot which curled just inside the Dortmund post.

But the Germans effectively killed off the game in the 64th minute when Pulisic teed up Aubameyang to fire his second of the night as both teams continued to make a raft of second-half substitutions in the hot and humid conditions. (AFP)

Barca ‘200 per cent’ sure Neymar will stayBarcelona

Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre insisted

yesterday that Brazilian star Neymar will be staying in Spain despite rumours linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Asked during a press conference if he could confirm Neymar would remain at Barca ahead of the 2017-18 season, Mestre replied: “200 per cent”. Reports in Spain have suggested PSG are

looking to lure the 25-year-old to the Parc des Princes after snapping up Neymar’s international teammate Dani Alves on a free transfer.

“PSG want to finalise the signing of Neymar this summer”, wrote Catalan daily Sport, while the Madrid-based AS newspaper led with the headline “Neymar flirts with PSG”.

PSG are reportedly attempting to take advantage of Neymar’s desire to step out

of Lionel Messi’s shadow, with the French club prepared to build a team around the Brazil forward.

“In the background of Neymar’s annoyance there’s always a concern, which has to do with his role in the team and his wish to become a leader,” wrote Sport. “But you have to be aware that there are no shortcuts to leadership and it is something that is earned slowly, naturally and progressively,” it added. (AFP)

© GRAPHIC NEWSSource: Wire agencies

Pictures: Getty Images

*Stripped of 4x100m gold due to teammate doping violation

Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is set to dip through thefinishing line for the final time this season, with an emotional farewell

rumoured to be at the World Championships in London

BOLT’S LIGHTNING CAREERBorn: August 21, 1986

Birthplace: Trelawny, JamaicaEarly career: Dominates World

Junior Championships in 200m from2002-05. First senior medal (silver)at 2007 World Championships

2008: Wins three gold medalsat Beijing Olympics – in 100m,200m and 4 x 100m relay*

2009: Wins triple gold at BerlinWorld Championships. World recordsin 100m (9.58s) and 200m (19.19s)

2016: Confirms sprint supremacyat Rio Olympics with trio of goldsand 100% win record in finals

2017: Returns to London,aiming to crown golden careerwith familiar lightning-bolt pose

2012: Retains titles atLondon Olympics. Sets worldrecord with Nesta Carter,Michael Frater and YohanBlake in 4 x 100mrelay (36.84s)

2013: Three moregolds in Moscow,to become mostsuccessful athlete atWorld Championships, surpassingCarl Lewis and Michael Johnson

2015: Despite injury-plaguedseason, Bolt seals another triple inBeijing to take World Championshipgold medal tally to 11

2011: Disqualified from 100mfinal at Daegu World Championshipsfor false start. Recovers to takegold in 200m and sprint relay

Borussia Dortmund players celebrate

Romelu Lukaku celebrates with teammates (picture courtesy: theguardian)

Romans-sur-Isère, France

Australian Michael Matthews hit out at

sprint rival John Degenkolb after winning his second stage of the 2017 Tour de France yesterday. But German Degenkolb was angered by the line Matthews took in the finish and waved his

hand at the Aussie as they crossed the line.

He then allegedly grabbed Matthews around the neck in the area just beyond the finishing line.

“I was waiting for the result and he grabbed me on the way past,” said the 26-year-old.

“The officials saw it. We’ll

see what the officials will do about it.

“I don’t think it’s very sportsmanlike.

“From my perspective, I don’t think I did anything wrong. I didn’t change my line, I sprinted in a straight line.

“I’m not sure what was wrong with Degenkolb, but that’s up to him.”

Degenkolb’s Trek team filed an official complaint and the German saw things differently.

“Clearly I came with more speed than him from his wheel, and he saw me on the right side and closed the gap on the right side,” he said.

“That made me stop the sprint to sprint for the victory.”

As for their spat, Degenkolb was unapologetic.

“You know, it’s just in the heat of the situation. You are obviously very angry if you cannot go for the victory,” he said.

“For me it’s very clear. You

see he is going off his line into my line. You can see it on television.”

Matthews claimed another 50 points in the sprinters’ green jersey competition to close to 29 points behind Quick-Step’s Marcel Kittel, who has won five stages this year.

Kittel had been dropped early in the stage on a third category climb as Matthews’s Sunweb team set

a fierce pace.Crosswinds in the final

15km of the 165km stage from Le Puy-en-Velay to Romans-sur-Isere then scattered groups all over the road meaning a select group of

less than 30 riders reached the finish

together. (AFP)

Aidan Payne/DTNNaidan@dt.bh

Manama

Bahrain’s Merida Pro Cycling team rider, Japan’s Yukiya

Arashiro (three hours 39 minutes 48 seconds) raced well yesterday to finish 45th overall on the 16th stage of the 104th Tour de France from Le

Puy-En-Velay to Romans-Sur-Isere

over 165km.

Arashiro was one minute 33 seconds behind stage winner, Australian Michael Matthews (3:38:15) of Team Sunweb.

Bahrain’s other seven riders classified were - Sonny Calbrelli (73rd, Italy, +2:32), Janez Brajkovic (81st, Slovenia, +2:51), T Grmay, (Ethiopia (87th, +2:51), Javier Moreno, 118th, Spain, +9:09), Borut Bozic (141st, Slovenia, + 16:19), Grega Bole (158th, Slovenia, +16:19) and Ondrej Cink (161st, Czech Republic, +16:19).

Bahrain’s ninth team member Spaniard Ion Izaguirre withdrew from the opening stage in Dusseldorf, Germany after suffering a lumbar fracture of the lower spine.

The tour resumes today with the 17th stage taking the remaining (173) riders further into the Alps mountain range from La Mure to Serre Chevalier over 183km.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017 23SPORTS

Matthews blasts John Degenkolb

Merida’s Arashiro best on stageBahrain Merida positions:

Results from stage 16, a 165km ride: 39. J Brajkovic (SLO, one hour 16 minutes 36 seconds) 76. T Grmay (ETH, + 1:55:4384. O Cink (CZE, +2:02:26)106. Y Arashiro (JPN, +2:19:15 118. J Moreno (ESP, +2:29:36 124. S Colbrelli (ITA, 2:35:28147. G Bole (SLO, +2:51:56165. B Bozic (SLO, +3:14:24

UCUC

UCUC

1

UCUC

2

Grenoble

Ecrins NationalPark

10 kmSource: ASO, maps4news.com/©HERE

La Mure ▶Serre Chevalier

All times local; based on an average speed of 35 kph

All times local; based on an average speed of 35 kph

12:2017:36

ITA

LY

F R A N C E

Wednesday July 19

Sprint Category of climb or pass

17th stage

Unclassified

183 km

Col du Lautaret

Coldu Galibier

Col du Telegraphe

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

Col de la Croix de Fer

Allemont

Col d'Ornon

x

13:14/30 km

13:35/47.5 km

14:48/78.5 km15:25/106 km

16:15/132.5 km

17:07/155 km

17:16/164 km

PARIS

G e r m a n y ’ s Marcel Kittel (R), wearing the best sprinter’s green jersey, speaks with Great Britain’s Simon Yates wearing the best young’s white jersey, prior to the start of the 165 km sixteenth stage of the 104th edition of the Tour de France cycling race yes-terday between Le Puy-en-Velay and Romans-sur-Isere. (AFP)

Froome thanks teammate Michal Kwiatkowski, againRomans-sur-Isère, France

Tour de France leader Chris Froome was again indebted to Sky team-

mate Michal Kwiatkowski yesterday after maintaining his grip on the yellow jersey. The 2014 world champion guided Froome through the tricky crosswinds over the final 20km of Tuesday’s 165km 16th stage to ensure the Briton did not lose any time to his overall rivals.

And it was not the first time Kwiatkowski, 27, has made a telling contribution to Froome’s title defence.

He has shouldered much of the pace-setting burden in the mountains, while on Sunday his close attention and quick-thinking saved the Tour for Froome when the champion had to stop on the side of the road with the race on due to a broken wheel.

Kwiatkowski jumped off his bike and changed Froome’s wheel for one of his own, allowing the three-time champion to limit his time losses, and 20km later

catch the rest of his rivals.“It’s not the first time I’ve said this

but Kwiato has done an amazing job for me in this Tour de France,” said Froome, 32.

“In the mountains, as we saw today positioning in the flats as well, to be in just the right place at the right time.”

Froome actually gained time on a few top 10 rivals -- Dan Martin, Louis Meintjes and Alberto Contador -- as c r o s s w i n d s caused havoc in the peloton, creating splits all over the road.

“ H e ( K w i a t k o w s k i ) was instrumental in pushing that split t o d a y , ” Froome added. (AFP)

New Zealand’s George Bennett quits Tour de FranceRomans-sur-Isère, France

New Zealand’s George Bennett quit the Tour de France

yesterday after getting into difficulty early on during the 16th stage.

The 27-year-old had been suffering from illness in recent days, his Lotto NL Jumbo team said.

He was quickly distanced by the peloton during a third category climb at the beginning of the 165km stage from Le Puy en Velay to Romans sur Isere.

His deficit quickly grew out to more than six minutes before he pulled out before even reaching

halfway. The Kiwi climber was 12th overall when he quit but had been as high as ninth at one stage last week.

His was the second abandonment of the day after former world champion Philippe Gilbert of Belgium pulled out before the stage started with gastroenteritis. (AFP)

Michael Matthews

John Degenkolb (file pic)

Yukiya Arashiro (file pic)

Chris Froome