Cristiano Ronaldo,Ozil keep Real Madrid unbeaten in pre-season

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 17th minute and set up Mesut Ozil's goal 14 minutes later.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 17th minute and set up Mesut Ozil’s goal 14 minutes later,leading Real Madrid to the final of the International Champions Cup with a 2-1 victory over Everton on Saturday night. Ronaldo and Ozil starred in the first football game played at the 51-year-old Dodger Stadium,keeping Real Madrid unbeaten in its preseason friendlies.

Second-half substitute Nikica Jelavic scored in the 61st minute for Everton,which gave a solid challenge to the Galacticos. Tim Howard,Everton’s American goalkeeper,made a handful of brilliant saves to keep Real Madrid from increasing its lead.

The inaugural International Champions Cup matches seven European teams and MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy in an exhibition tournament. The final is Wednesday night in Miami,where Real Madrid will face the winner of Chelsea’s meeting with AC Milan outside New York on Sunday.

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Just two weeks away from the season opener in La Liga,Real Madrid had more than enough talent to overcome Everton. The Toffees reached the semifinals earlier in the week with a surprise win in San Francisco over two-time defending Serie A champion Juventus,which faced the Galaxy in the second game at Dodger Stadium.

In preparation for football’s debut in Chavez Ravine,the Dodgers flattened their pitchers’ mound and spread temporary grass over the infield and warning track. Dodger Stadium has hosted the Beatles,a papal Mass,eight World Series and 52 Dodgers seasons,but had never converted its baseball-specific field into a soccer pitch.

Everton’s Catalan coach,Roberto Martinez,acknowledged the game was a valuable chance to test his side against the world’s best. While his team looked good for stretches,particularly around Real’s penalty area,the Toffees’ defence was repeatedly caught scrambling when its offside trap was beaten.

Amid India’s push to extradite Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, British officials visit Tihar jail to inspect conditions

British officials inspect Tihar jail as India pushes to extradite Mallya, Nirav Modi

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A team from the British CPS visited Tihar jail to inspect inmate conditions and security, amidst India's efforts to extradite fugitives Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Sanjay Bhandari from the UK. They discussed setting up a specialized enclosure for high-profile prisoners and addressed concerns about violence within the jail. As of 2024, India has made 178 extradition requests to various countries.

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