Real Madrid drew 2-2 with Mexican side Club America at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tuesday evening. It was their penultimate pre-season fixture of their tour of the United States – their final run-out takes place at the weekend against Juventus.
America actually took the lead in the fifth minute, delighting the heavy Latino contingent in the stadium. Karim Benzema drew Madrid level in the 22nd with a true golazo, however, before Eden Hazard scored from the spot to give Madrid the lead in the 55th. Alvaro Fidalgo equalised from the spot eight minutes from time.
“It was a good game, better than the first [that they lost to Barcelona],” Carlo Ancelotti said post-match in comments carried by Marca. “We had difficulties in the beginning but then the team played well. We had more control in the first half and more strength in the second.”
After Juventus comes the European Super Cup for Madrid, when they face Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. Madrid qualified for this game by winning the Champions League, of course. They begin their La Liga title defence on August 14th when they travel to Andalusia to face newly-promoted Almeria.
Ancelotti also spoke about the team he’s planning to put out for the European Super Cup. “It’s going to look more like last season because it’s a tournament we qualified for by winning the Champions League,” he said. “We have to take that into account because it means closing the season – we have to finish out the season by winning the Super Cup. The team that plays will look like that one we put out on Saturday [against Juventus].”
