Friendlies round-up: Tottenham Hotspur hammer Celtic in Helsinki

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/02/football-friendlies-roundup

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Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela were among the goalscorers as Tottenham thrashed Celtic 6-1 in Helsinki. Spurs raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to efforts from frontmen Harry Kane and Soldado in the fourth and 11th minutes respectively.

Jamie Lindsay pulled a goal back for Celtic in the 43rd, but a minute later Lewis Holtby restored the two-goal cushion and Tottenham kept the momentum going after the break.

Midfielder Lamela made it 4-1 just before the hour mark. A Christian Eriksen free-kick and Emmanuel Adebayor’s penalty wrapped up the rout in the last 10 minutes, while Celtic’s misery was compounded by a red card for Efe Ambrose, his second in four days, having been dismissed in Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw.

Newcastle conceded three goals in 18 first-half minutes en route to a 3-1 loss to Málaga in the Schalke Cup. Sergi Darder opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a long-range strike that went in off the woodwork. Samu Castillejo volleyed in at the far post in the 32nd minute and the same man then recorded a deflected effort towards the end of the half before Gabriel Obertan fired in a consolation on the hour to leave the Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, with much to work on before the Premier League starts on 16 August.

In the same tournament West Ham drew 0-0 with the hosts at the Veltins Arena before winning 7-6 on penalties. The German team hit the woodwork twice in the 90 minutes.

Summer signing Bafetimbi Gomis was on the scoresheet for Swansea as they won 3-1 at Reading. The France striker provided a cool finish to seal the victory in the second half. Wayne Routledge had earlier scored twice in three minutes to put the Swans in charge, with the hosts replying through Nick Blackman.

Crystal Palace suffered a 3-2 defeat at Championship newcomers Brentford. A flurry of goals early in the second half saw Jonathan Douglas and Andre Gray put the home team 2-0 up and Palace then draw level through Glenn Murray and Marouane Chamakh. Moses Odubajo subsequently scored the winner.

A Stoke XI drew 0-0 at Burton and West Brom went down 1-0 at Nottingham Forest courtesy of a Matty Fryatt goal.

Charlie Austin and Junior Hoilett scored two goals each in QPR’s 4-0 win at Shamrock Rovers, while summer recruit Marvin Sordell’s effort steered Burnley to a 1-0 triumph at Blackpool.

Leicester drew 1-1 at Preston, with Liam Moore’s goal cancelled out by a Tom Clarke header.

Aston Villa slumped to a 4-1 defeat at Groningen after conceding two goals in the opening eight minutes. They were scored by midfielder Tjaronn Chery, and Jarchinio Antonia then made it 3-0 on the half-hour. Charles N’Zogbia responded with a free-kick with 15 minutes to go, but Groningen were not done and Dino Islamovic added their fourth in the last few seconds.