“Paulo Fonseca’s team scored a quick goal, but could not stop the “reds”.”, — write: champions.football.ua
Paulo Fonseca’s team scored a quick goal, but could not stop the “reds”.
The first goal in the match happened rather unexpectedly – Christian Pulisic broke through on the right flank, entered the penalty area of the other team and scored exactly in the far corner. 1:0. Milan very easily managed to destroy Liverpool’s attacks and build their approaches. However, later Liverpool still started to play and all the lightness of the Italian giant evaporated.
In one of the episodes, Salah received the ball in someone else’s penalty area, put the ball under his right foot and hit the crossbar. Later, Alexander-Arnold crossed from a free kick, and Konate crossed the ball into the goal with the back of his head. 1:1. A few minutes later, Zhota received the ball in someone else’s penalty area in front of Menyan and shot into the near corner, but missed.
The defense of Paulo Fonseca’s team could not keep up with the fast visitors. Another moment came when Menghan deflected the ball after an opponent’s shot, and Salah was the first to pick up the ball and powerfully hit the crossbar to save Milan. It seemed that the teams would go to the break with an even score, but the home team’s problem with corner kicks turned out to be systemic – Van Dijk easily got away from the Rangers and headed the ball into the goal. Menyan had no chance. 1:2.
At the beginning of the second half, Jota reacted to a pass from his partner and shot at point blank range – Meignan saved, and then he was kicked by Tomori. For the Frenchman, who felt discomfort even in the first half, this friendly gesture of the defender turned out to be fateful – a replacement was needed. 19-year-old Torriani appeared on the field, for whom it was a debut. Milan, of course, wanted to establish parity, but simply could not move to the other half of the field without taking the ball away.
The situation was worsened even more by the episode in the middle of the second half, when Gakpo broke through on the left flank, left Pavlovich distracted and passed to the center, from where Soboslai crossed the ball into the corner. 1:3. Paulo Fonseca tried to change the course of the game with substitutions and the exit of Abraham really revived Milan’s attacking actions, but it was not possible to score. The only really dangerous moment was created by Leau – the Portuguese shot from outside the penalty area with his left foot, but Alisson put the ball into the post. The referee’s final whistle sealed a convincing victory for Slot’s team.
Milan — Liverpool 1:3
Goals: Pulisic, 3 – Konate, 23, van Dijk, 41, Soboslai, 67
Milan: Menghan (Torriani, 51) — Calabria (Royal, 69), Pavlovic, Tomori (Gabbia, 84), Hernandez — Fofana, Loftus-Cheek (Abraham, 70) — Pulisic, Reynders, Leau — Morata (Okafor, 83)
Liverpool: Becker — Alexander-Arnold (Gomez, 79), van Dijk, Konate, Tsimikas — Gravenberch, Mac Allister (Endo, 90) — Salah (Chiesa, 90), Soboslai, Gakpo (Diaz, 69) — Jota (Nunez, 68)
Warning: Calabria, Fofana — Mac Allister, Conate