NEW YORK: Liverpool rallied twice against Premier League champions Manchester City and triumphed 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out Wednesday after their pre-season International Champions Cup Group ‘B’ match at baseball’s Yankee Stadium ended 2-2 after regular time.

Stevan Jovetic gave City, who finished two points ahead of Liverpool last season, the lead twice in the second half but the Reds responded with goals from Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling before winning the shootout.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was “pleased” with the victory, which kept Liverpool on course for a possible final against bitter rivals Manchester United in Miami next week, provided they beat AC Milan in their last group game of the eight-team tournament on Saturday.

“It was a great game for us. Manchester City are a wonderful team and will go close in the Premier League again this year,” the 41-year-old told reporters after the match. “Overall I was pleased.”

Victory put Liverpool on top of Group ‘B’ with five points after two matches. City are a point behind in second with Olympiakos a further point adrift while Milan are yet to get off the mark.

The International Champions Cup — a friendly tournament featuring eight European clubs all preparing for the start of their domestic campaigns — concludes on August 4 with the winners of the two groups facing off in the final.

United lead Group ‘A’ with five points after they defeated Inter Milan 5-3 on penalty kicks on Tuesday following a goal-less draw in Washington.

AS Roma are two points behind the Premier League giants in second after beating Real Madrid 1-0 in Dallas on Tuesday in a match disrupted by a pitch invasion, with a Palestinian flag being waved among the intruders.

Roma, for whom veteran Francesco Totti scored the only goal in the 58th minute, next play Italian rivals Inter on Saturday, when Real face United.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014