Mexico warmed up for opening the World Cup with a 5-1 victory over Gambia thanks to two goals apiece from Javier Hernandez and Adolfo Bautista.
Mexico will kick off the tournament on June 11 against host South Africa. The Mexicans dominated Gambia on a rainy day in southern Germany and looked sharp on counter attacks, but wasted a number of chances, too.
Hernandez gave Mexico a 1-0 halftime lead and doubled it five minutes into the second half. Bautista then scored his first, before Gambia earned its only goal through Ebrima Sohna’s header in the 65th after a corner.
PHOTO: EPA
Bautista connected at the far post to make it 4-1 and Alberto Medina slotted home from the left side after a counter attack to complete the win in the 80th.
Chile beat Northern Ireland 1-0 on Sunday in their penultimate warm-up match before they head to the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Striker Esteban Paredes scored the only goal of the match with a header at the back post from a corner after 30 minutes.
The Chileans, who will play in group H alongside Honduras, Switzerland and Spain, dominated possession, but seldom threatened the Northern Irish goal.
Chile Coach Marcelo Bielsa has narrowed his squad down to 24 players, but needs to drop one more man before today, the FIFA deadline for naming definitive World Cup squads.
Chile beat Israel 3-0 in their last friendly before heading off to South Africa later on Sunday.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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