PSG put Real to the sword in pre-season opener

Real Madrid's pre-season in the United States got off with the worse possible start with a 3-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio.
The French champions raced out to a 3-0 first half lead and held on the rest of the way in front of a full Ohio Stadium crowd on the campus of Ohio State University.
Nanitome Ikone put PSG ahead just two minutes in before new arrival Thomas Meunier scored twice in a span of five minutes with strikes in the 35th and 40th minutes.
Real finally managed to get on the scoreboard with Marcelo converting a penalty on the brink of half-time after Serge Aurier's handball.
Manager Zinedine Zidane changed his entire squad to start the second half, giving a number of Real Madrid Castilla players a run-out. However, it was goalkeeper Rubén Yañez who stood out with a pair of fine saves to deny PSG a fourth.
Despite going up against PSG stars like Ángel di María and Edinson Cavani, the Real youngsters held their own, with Marcos Asensio among the more dangerous players for Real at the attacking end.
With so many substitutions in the second half, the pace of the match slowed considerably and another goal was not to be had for either side.
Real's next pre-season contest will come on Saturday against Chelsea in "The Big House" in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the campus of the University of Michigan.
Meanwhile, Emery will be pleased with the result but he will also be concerned by the injury suffered by captain Thiago Silva during a reckless tackle early in the game. With Marquinhos on Olympic duty and David Luiz already nursing an issue himself, Presnel Kimpembe is PSG's only recognised central defender at present.
The Spanish tactician has helped increase the level of intensity in their performances so far this preseason but seeing Silva, Aurier and Layvin Kurzawa booked in a friendly is something that he will need to rein in.
Emery will need to put a bit more work in on the training pitch with Edinson Cavani, though, after the Uruguay international endured another wasteful performance on American soil after a dismal Copa America earlier this summer.