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Gareth Bale scores in first pre-season outing for Real Madrid

Real Madrid beat Arsenal in a penalty shoot-out after Gareth Bale had made a goalscoring return to the Spanish side in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the International Champions Cup yesterday morning (Singapore time).

Arsenal named a strong side captained by Mesut Oezil, while Real had Bale on the bench and Eden Hazard, wearing the No. 50 shirt, starting alongside fellow new signing Luka Jovic in attack.

The match, however, looked to be over as a contest after Real defender Nacho was sent off for two yellow cards in a frantic early spell in Maryland.

The Spain international was shown one yellow card for a foul on Sead Kolasinac and another after blocking Alexandre Lacazette's shot with his hand on the goalline.

Lacazette stepped up to sneak the 10th-minute penalty home, before the Frenchman delightfully flicked the ball through for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to double the lead 14 minutes later.

The referee evened things up, however, when he again brandished two yellow cards in quick succession to send Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathopoulos off in the 40th minute.

Bale, who is expected to leave Real before the start of next season, and Marco Asensio scored inside three second-half minutes to level up the scores and take the game to penalties.

Asensio, however, had to be stretchered off after rupturing knee ligaments.

Arsenal edged in front in the shoot-out when Reiss Nelson scored his spot-kick and Bale missed his, but misses from Granit Xhaka, Nacho Monreal and Robbie Burton proved costly as Real ran out 3-2 winners.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane said it was his decision to give Bale his first minutes of the pre-season, despite revealing this week that the club planned to sell the Welsh forward.

Said Zidane: "He played because he wanted to be with us and play, the other day (against Bayern Munich he did) not.

"He played well.

"Today he played, the decision is mine, he played a part and we will see what will happen.

"Nothing has changed.

"You know the situation."

His opposite number Unai Emery, meanwhile, said: "The result isn't important, but we showed a good level and when we needed young players, their performance was perfect." - REUTERS

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