TWO‑GOAL ADVANTAGE GOING INTO THE SECOND LEG IN PRAGUE
europa league
Advantage AC Milan! The Rossoneri beat Slavia Praha 4-2 to take a first-leg lead in the round of 16 of the Europa League. It was an important victory at San Siro, with goals from Giroud, Reijnders and Loftus-Cheek in the first half and Pulisic in the second. A red card shown to Diouf with nearly half an hour played shifted the momentum in the Rossoneri's favour as they utilised their one-man advantage to take the lead and then extend it against an opponent that showed no signs of giving up. In fact, the guests twice managed to get themselves back into the game.
Slavia Praha scored an immediate equaliser to cancel out Giroud's opener and then cut the deficit to make it 3-2 just after the break. The Czech side stunned AC Milan with some clinical finishing. The Rossoneri paid a hefty price for their defensive errors but reacted well to both of Slavia's goals. We're only halfway through the tie as we travel to the Czech capital next week. Before then, though, we host Empoli at San Siro on Sunday afternoon. Forza Milan!
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v SLAVIA PRAHA
MATCH REPORT
The first chance came from Florenzi’s free kick that looped just over the bar after ten minutes. Douděra responded for the visitors on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, but the game’s turning point came in the 26th minute, when Diouf was sent off for a careless tackle on Pulisic. The Rossoneri upped the tempo and took the lead in the 34th minute through Giroud's header at the back post, following Leão’s cross. But a right-footed volley from Douděra restored parity two minutes later. In the 42nd minute, Staněk made an outstanding save from Gabbia's header, but AC Milan kept persisting and looked to make the most of deadball situations. In the 44th minute, Florenzi played a short corner to Reijnders, who unleashed a rocket from the edge of the box to fire the ball into the back of the net at the near post. And in the 46th minute, Loftus-Cheek grabbed his side’s third with a header. 3-1 at half-time.
AC Milan started the second half on the front foot. In the 49th minute, Leão had an excellent chance, but his right-footed effort towards the far post went just wide and the game’s intensity dropped dramatically. The Rossoneri were in no hurry and controlled possession, but took their eye off the ball slightly, allowing Slavia Praha to reduce the deficit in the 65th minute through substitute Schranz, who struck home to make it 3-2. Pioli's team were camped in the opposition’s half, but struggled to catch out a well-organised and solid defensive unit. In the 84th minute, Jović tried his luck with his left before the fourth goal eventually came a minute later: Leão skipped past his man and placed the ball past Staněk with a delicate finish, but the decisive touch was made by Pulisic, who poked it home, from in front of goal. It ended 4-2 to us!
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 4-2 SLAVIA PRAHA
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Florenzi (46' Calabria), Kjær, Gabbia (46' Tomori), Hernández; Adli, Reijnders (80' Okafor); Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek (66' Jović), Leão; Giroud (80' Okafor). Subs: Mirante, Sportiello; Kalulu, Terracciano, Thiaw; Musah; Chukwueze. Coach: Pioli.
SLAVIA PRAHA (4-2-3-1): Staněk; Vlček, Holeš, Zima, Diouf; Masopust (86' Wallem), Dorley; Douděra (86' Tomič), Provod (83' Jurečka), Zmrzlý (83' Bořil); Chytil (61' Schranz). Subs: Mandous, Sirotnik; Konečný, Ogbu; Jurasék; Tijani, van Buren. Coach: Trpišovský.
Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR).
Goals: 34' Giroud (M), 36' Douděra (SP), 44' Reijnders (M), 45'+1 Loftus-Cheek (M), 65' Schranz (SP), 85' Pulisic (M).
Booked: 2' Florenzi (M), 72' Calabria (M).
Sent off: 26' Diouf (SP).
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