Comparison: Missing Preposition?

Hello,

I recently came across the following part of a headline (LA Times, June 19, 1994-so we're talking US English here, obviously... ;) ):

World Cup: Reporters can't understand why Americans are more interested in Simpson than the international games.

What got me briefly wondering is that poor little me would have used a second "in" here, just to make the comparison sound better straight away (to me, at least):

[...] why Americans are more interested in Simpson than in international games.

I do understand that the would-be use of a second "in" might not be absolutely necessary in the original headline, but while reading it, I had to pause for a brief moment when coming to the end of the comparison. Reading it a second time, it became clear that "the international games" are not persons, and are, therefore, not compared with (to?) "[the] Americans".

I'd just like to structure my sentences so that nobody has to briefly pause while reading them because of some strange gut feeling. That's why I'm asking for your advice on this seemingly minute detail. Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts on this.

I am more interested in soccer than you.

(Poor little me:)

I am more interested in soccer than you are.

I am more interested in soccer than in you.

Frank