ROSSONERI BEATEN BY ARSENAL IN SINGAPORE
AC Milan Tour
Our Pre-Season Tour to the Asia-Pacific region began in defeat. At the National Stadium in Singapore, AC Milan had their first friendly of the season but were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal. Bukayo Saka scored the only goal of the game for the Gunners, who were the better side throughout. Despite their troubles, the Rossoneri worked hard and were very organised. What was missing, however, was a bit of incisiveness going forward.
Ricci and P. Terracino both made their Milan debuts, as did the youngsters Comotto, Duțu and Magni. Torriani made some truly noteworthy saves both in normal time and the shoot-out. It's still too early to see the fruits of the team's labours under Max Allegri and also to understand the strength of a squad that is still coming together. Tests like today's are a vital part of a team's development. Now, the Diavolo's tour continues with a trip to Hong Kong, where they will take on Liverpool at the Kai Tak Stadium at 13:30 CEST on Saturday, 26 July.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM ARSENAL v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
It was a lively start in Singapore. In the third minute, Loftus-Cheek laid it off for Saelemaekers, who played in Leão only for the Portuguese winger to be blocked off. Two minutes later, Rice blazed over the bar. The wide areas were well in play, as Bartesaghi played it back in after a cross-field ball by Saelemaekers. White then fired wide (21') before P. Terracciano denied Nwaneri (23'). Loftus-Cheek, in the 27th minute, sent Leão through on goal, but he failed to get a shot off. Arsenal began to gain the ascendancy: Nwaneri failed to hit the target (28'), Saka then underhit one (30'), before Tomori smothered Rice (32'). Martinelli twice failed to hit the back of the net from close range (42' and 46'). We then kept out a dangerous corner on the stroke of half-time.
Leão looked busy at the start of the second half as he played a lovely through ball to get Loftus-Cheek in on goal, but the Englishman couldn't finish. The Gunners regained control of the encounter and struck in the 53rd minute. Kiwior sent the cross in, Saka got on the end of it with a scuffed effort and somehow bounced in. The Rossoneri struggled to react and came close to conceding a second, first to a Havertz header (57') and then a wayward effort by Ødegaard (65'). A raft of chances changed the face of the game, but fatigue slowed it down. Leão popped back up in the 69th minute, but Raya was equal to his effort. Arsenal again began to dominate, but this time Torriani came up big: he made a stunning stop to keep out a Merino header (76'), produced a flying save to deny Trossard (82'), and also thwarted Ødegaard. In stoppage time, Torriani again made a good save, this time to deny Nelson. Full-time.
After the final whistle, the two sides had a penalty shoot-out. The Diavolo were the better of the two sides from the spot and won the shoot-out thanks to Torriani's saves and converted spot-kicks from Gabbia, Chukwueze, Bondo, F. Terracciano, Duțu and Comotto.
MATCH DETAILS
ARSENAL 1-0 AC MILAN
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Raya (46' Arrizabalaga); White (66' Nichols), Saliba (66' Salmon), Calafiori (46' Kiwior), Zinchenko (46' Lewis-Skelly); Nørgaard (46' Zubimendi), Rice (66' Merino); Saka (66' Dowman), Nwaneri (46' Ødegaard), Martinelli (46' Trossard); Havertz (80' Nelson). Subs: Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Setford; Copley, Lokonga; Harriman-Annous, Kabia. Coach: Arteta.
AC MILAN (3-5-2): P. Terracciano (66' Torriani); Tomori (46' Gabbia), Thiaw (66' F. Terracciano), Pavlović (80' Duțu); Saelemaekers (46' Chukwueze), Loftus-Cheek (66' Bondo), Ricci, Musah (80' Liberali), Bartesaghi (80' Magni); Pulisic (46' Okafor), Leão (80' Colombo). Subs: Pittarella. Coach: Allegri.
Referee: Jansen Foo (SGP).
Goals: 53' Saka (A).
Penalties: Ødegaard (A) saved, Gabbia (M) goal, Zubimendi (A) goal, Colombo (M) saved, Merino (A) goal, Chukwueze (M) goal, Nelson (A) saved, Liberali (M) saved, Kiwior (A) saved, Okafor (M) saved, Dowman (A) goal, Bondo (M) goal, Trossard (A) goal, F. Terracciano (M) goal, Nichols (A) goal, Duțu (M) goal, Salmon (A) out, Comotto (M) goal.
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