PRIMAVERA SHINE IN EUROPE: 3‑0 WIN OVER DINAMO
Youth Teams
AC Milan's Primavera side continued their fine run of form and, after Sunday's brilliant win over Cagliari, managed to pick up their first win of the season in the UEFA Youth League. The match against Dinamo Zagreb ended 3-0 and was never in dispute. After goals from Youns El Hilali and Chaka Traorè in the first half - first ever goals in European competition for both - Marko Lazetić scored his first goal for the club in the second half, in his first season at AC Milan.
There were only positive signs by the end of the afternoon at the PUMA House of Football for Coach Abate: from the first two scorers of the day, who also claimed an assist each, to the good performances of every single player in action. Jan-Carlo Simić's first start for the Rossoneri should be praised. For the Rossoneri Primavera, it was also the first victory in the Youth League since October 2013. A long break now awaits AC Milan, to make room for the commitments of the national youth teams: the season will start again on Sunday 2 October at 11:00 CEST with an away match against Bologna, while the next European encounter will be on 5 October in England against Chelsea.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v DINAMO ZAGREB
MATCH REPORT
The Rossoneri had a strong frontline with the El Hilali-Longhi-Traorè trio, with nine goals already this season between the three of them. There was a lot of possession in the opening minutes for Abate's boys, who had their first chances in the 13th minute with Zeroli, whose attempt was thwarted by the Croatian defence, and in the 14th minute with Traorè: a quick exchange ending with a finish in the box stopped by Pršlja. AC Milan's territorial dominance was rewarded in the 25th minute by the first goal: Traorè's perfect lob for El Hilali, who beat the visitors' goalkeeper with a diagonal shot from 15 yards. The advantage galvanised the Rossoneri, who came close to doubling the lead in the 29th minute with Traorè, who only gave the illusion of a goal with a strike that came at the end of a fantastic piece of individual play. However, the lead was finally doubled at the end of the half, after a move in the middle of the pitch. In the 45th minute, El Hilali returned the favour to Traorè, serving him with the assist, Chaka's great timing, beating Pršlja with his right-footed shot before the break.
Dinamo Zagreb tried to shake things up with a triple change in the second half, but apart from a powerful right-foot shot from Šakota in the 48th minute there were no major chances as the Rossoneri left no space for the visitors. There was the chance for substitutions for Abate, with minutes for Bakoune and Scotti as well as Marko Lazetić's first appearance of the season. It was the Serbian who made his mark with a fine chance in the 74th minute, impressing after a fine dribble. In the 77th minute, Scotti and El Hilali came close to scoring the third. The deserved third goal came in the dying minutes: Lazetić's first AC Milan goal, with his diagonal attempt following a dribble into the box to round off a strong half. It ended 3-0 to AC Milan's Primavera, who moved into the lead in Group E after the first two games.
POST MATCH STATEMENTS
"We started well, with conviction, playing an excellent first half-hour. After the first goal we stopped playing a little bit, but then in the second half we restarted well, keeping the ball at our feet and creating chances. I'm happy with the response of the boys, we hope these three points give us hope for the future, even if there is still lots to improve," Coach Ignazio Abate commented after the match. "I see a team that has great personality and courage, we have our qualities and we take our chances. The boys, with serenity and desire, put into practice what I asked of them, I am really happy with their development."
"This is a very important victory, we were looking for it. We came close in Salzburg, but today we fought together and we did it," commented Dorian Paloschi. "They are three important points because they give us morale, strength and the possibility to believe in the passage of the group, our goal. In the last two games we have managed not to concede goals, we are improving in the communication between us defenders and this allows us to perform at our best. By helping each other we can solve our problems and grow".
MATCH SUMMARY
AC MILAN 3-0 DINAMO ZAGREB
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Nava; Simić (61' Bakoune), Coubis, Paloschi, Bozzolan; Eletu, Pluvio (61' Gala), Zeroli; El Hilali (88' Foglio), Longhi (68' Scotti), Traorè (68' Lazetić). Unused subs: Torriani; Bartesaghi. Coach: Abate.
DINAMO ZAGREB (4-1-4-1): Pršlja; Gubijan, Katinić, Živković, Cvetko (46' Ruškovački); Čaić (46' Vrbančić); Brkljača (74' Tonon), Krdžalić (74' Čuljak), Lukanić, Rukavina; Topić (46' Šakota). Unused subs.: Zrilić; Katalinić. Coach: Senzen.
Referee: Evangelos Manouchos (Greece).
Goals: 26' El Hilali (M), 45' Traorè (M), 93' Lazetić (M).
Booked: 86' Vrbančić (D).
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