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WASHINGTON. – Reigning English Premier League soccer champions Chelsea and European kings Barcelona exited their friendly showdown injured but intensely motivated as they return to Europe to defend their crowns. Chelsea captured the International Champions Cup victory 4-2 on penalty kicks after the teams were deadlocked 2-2 after regular time thanks to Chelsea defender Gary Cahill’s header in the 85th minute on Tuesday.

In the shootout, Alan Halilovic put Barca down with a shot off the crossbar to open the second round. In the third, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied Gerard Pique and Chelsea’s Ramires and Loic Remy scored after that to settle the outcome.

“The penalties mean nothing for us and I think they mean nothing for Barcelona,” said Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. “This was not about win or lose. They were playing and training the same as us. It was not a tactical game. It was two teams looking for intensity.”

They found intensity in each other in the training match before 78,914 at the home of the NFL Washington Redskins, so much so that both sides are nursing injuries with the start of a new season fast approaching.

“It was a more physical game than it should be at this point of the pre-season,” said Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. “It’s not a loss. It’s a tie. Overall this was practice. We gave playing time to the players we wanted to see.”

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Luis Suarez and Sandro Ramirez answered for Barcelona in the 52nd and 66th minutes respectively and Cahill nodded in a header as he took a blow in the face from substitute Barcelona goalkeeper Jordi Masip.

No one wanted to see injuries but Mourinho has hamstring fears for striker Diego Costa and a possible broken nose for Cahill, who regardless will not miss Sunday’s Community Shield match against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium. — AFP.