Chuba Akpom on target for Arsenal in 3-1 win over Chivas Guadalajara

Arsenal continued their preparations for the forthcoming Premier League season with a 3-1 win over Chivas Guadalajara in Los Angeles.

Goals from Rob Holding, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Chuba Akpom had the Gunners in control, before their Mexican opponents pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with 17 minutes remaining.

Holding opened the scoring in the 34th minute at StubHub Center after Calum Chambers had created the opening for his central defensive partner — and it was 2-0 five minutes into the second half courtesy of an impressive individual goal from Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Guadalajara pulled a goal back through Angel Zaldivar’s penalty, awarded after Mathieu Debuchy had fouled Alex Zendejas.England Under-21 international Akpom, whose late goal gave Arsenal a 2-1 victory over the MLS All-Stars in San Jose on Thursday, made it 3-0 six minutes later.

The Gunners start their league campaign on Aug. 14 at home to Liverpool.

Conte reveals he nearly quit over match-fixing allegations

Antonio Conte

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said he could have quit football after being embroiled in a match-fixing scandal in his native Italy.

An accusation of failing to report an attempt to fix a match against AlbinoLeffe during his time in charge of second-tier side Siena in 2010-2011, landed the former Italy coach in court as part of the Scommessopoli case.

Conte, who was banned from the touchline by the Italian Football Federation for four months in 2012 as part of the scandal, was acquitted of sporting fraud in May.

The 47 year-old claimed it would have been easy to leave the sport, but his desire to persist and come out on top forced him to fight the allegations.

“The story is a bad story for me and I don’t accept this. I fought a lot against this story and I risked myself to go to before a judge,” Conte said.

“I could have chosen another way. It would have been very easy for me to go, to finish a problem and then pass the time.

“In Italy, in the past, with this type of story, five years and it’s finished. But no, I wanted to be judged.

“In my heart the story was very bad for me, my family. Many people wrote bad things without knowing the reality.

“My players know me from Italy, all the people, all the managers. All the people know who Antonio Conte is. In this situation I want always to win, I work very hard to win.”

The Italian, his voice croaky from barking orders at his team during their pre-season tour of the United States, is motivated to win, but said plenty can be learned from being on the opposite side.After a woeful Premier League title defence last season ended with Chelsea finishing 10th, a top-four spot in Conte’s first campaign at the helm will be the minimum requirement.

“I find peace in myself after the game when I win. For this reason, I want to work very hard and find different solutions and to give options to my players. Only when I win am I relaxed,” Conte said.

“It’s important when you lose because you learn. You try to see why you didn’t win. You learn a lot in yourself but to win is beautiful.

“We know that when you have a season when you finish in 10th place it is not good for all. It means there are problems.

“Now it is not important to say ‘Okay we are ready to fight, we can come back very soon and win the title’ – these are just words.

“It’s important now to deal in facts, all together, because it is now not a good period for us.”

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho’s agent rejects Roma speculation

Mamadou Sakho

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho will not join Roma this summer, his agent has said.

France international Sakho, 26, has reportedly been targeted by the Giallorossi, who are in the market for a new centre-back this summer after loaning Leandro Castan to Sampdoria and with Mario Rui tearing his cruciate knee ligaments while on a preseason tour of the United States.

However, agent Niakate Housseyni told LaRoma24.it: “I’ve not had any contact with Roma. He’s a Liverpool player and I don’t think Roma have any chance [of signing him] at the moment.”

That had led to the speculation he may leave this summer, but Houssenyi denied that there was “any argument with his boss Jurgen Klopp.”There had been reports of a falling out between Sakho and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after the German sent the player home for breaking club rules while on their U.S. tour.

West Ham table £20m Ayew bid

Andrew Ayew

West Ham have tabled a £20 million bid for Swansea City attacker Andre Ayew as they continue to search for a marquee striker signing, Goal reports.

Slaven Bilic is keen to reinforce his striking options this summer and has previously launched bids for Alexandre Lacazette, of Lyon, and Michy Batshuayi, who eventually joined Chelsea from Marseille for a fee of £33m.

The Hammers also explored the possibility of signing Jamie Vardy from Leicester City prior to the striker signing a new contract, and have now turned their attentions to the versatile Ayew, who can play on the wing and through the middle.

Sources have told Goal that the Hammers have matched Swansea’s £20m valuation of the 26-year-old over the last 24 hours, after opting against haggling with their Premier League counterparts.

Nevertheless, personal terms are believed to have been agreed with the forward, and the club are hopeful of completing a deal in the next week.However, Swansea are yet to respond to the offer, with the Welsh club set to be without a recognised striker ahead of the new season should Ayew leave.

Bafetimbi Gomis was loaned to Marseille earlier this week and the Swans have subsequently been linked with a bid for Sevilla forward Fernando Llorente.

West Ham, who could sell Diafra Sakho to West Brom this summer should the deal for Ayew be confirmed, are also set to confirm the loan signing of Argentina Under-23 striker Jonathan Calleri this week.

New Heartland boss hopes club avoid relegation

The new chairman of Heartland, Chibuzo Etuemena, has said he hopes to ensure the Owerri club are not relegated this season.

‘The Naze Millionaires’ languish in 18th place on the 19-team table with 30 points from 27 matches.

“Heartland are already confined to relegation by end of the season. I know for sure, that not many people would want to take the risk, which I want to take, but I strongly believe that with God all things are possible and I am determined to do my best,” the new chairman vowed.

“I am not a magician but I’m an optimist and I believe that there is nothing that God cannot do.”

Etuemena also announced the appointment of five new officers into the management team.He disclosed that he has ensured the players are paid three months’ salaries owed them.

These include Promise Nwachukwu, who is now the club’s sporting director; Cajetan Nkwopara as director of media and Mobi Oparaku as team manager.

Others are Ramson Madu, who was appointed head coach and Emmanuel Uzoma Emelu as welfare officer.

Benatia on target again as Juventus beat South China

Medhi Benatia made it two goals in as many appearances for Juventus as the Serie A champions came from behind to beat South China 2-1 in Hong Kong on Saturday.

Having netted in Tuesday’s 2-1 International Champions Cup victory over Tottenham, the on-loan Bayern Munich defender repeated the trick against South China.

Juventus were forced to come from behind, though, with Neto flapping at a free-kick to allow Chan Siu Ki to pounce and coolly slot home.

Lorenzo Rosseti then settled the contest in the 82nd minute, rounding South China goalkeeper Cristian Mora after he spilled a 25-yard drive from Stefano Padovan.But Massimiliano Allegri’s men recovered well from that 21st-minute setback, with Benatia poking home after gathering a loose ball that deflected off the defensive wall from a set-piece.