Thursday 28 / November / 2024
California : In a Pre-Season encounter, Real Madrid defeated AC Milan 3-2 at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Tuesday. AC Milan's mistakes aided Real Madrid to make an incredible comeback in the second half and win the game 3-2.
AC Milan played excellently in the first half, with plenty of personality, ideas and creativity. AC Milan withstood an early onslaught from Real before going on to create chances of their own. Los Blancos started strongly as Valverde put it wide in the seventh minute. Two minutes later, Pulisic found Messias at the back post but Mendy headed behind. Our aggressive press forced Real into making mistakes at the back: Colombo tried to profit from one of these errors but sent his effort just over the bar (17'). Tomori broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a towering header to turn home Pulisic's corner, 1-0 to AC Milan.
Not long after, Messias had a chance to make it two but hit the shot just off target. The Brazilian was then forced off, making way from Romero, who, with just his second touch of the ball, scored a brilliant goal from long range (42') and it came from a brilliant bit of football too: Krunic's recovery, Loftus-Cheek's backheel, Calabria's touch and Lukita's unstoppable effort.
AC Milan halved the deficit and then equalised in the space of a few minutes, both of which result from errors from AC Milan and both were scored by Valverde.
In the 57th minute, Sportiello failed to hold on to a not-unstoppable shot and then, two minutes later, Tomori's mistake gave the Uruguayan a free run to make it 2-2. Pioli made wholesale changes in the 70th minute; in one go he sent on Maignan, Saelemaekers, Kjaer, Thiaw, Theo, Adli, De Ketelaere, the debutant Reijnders, Leao and Giroud.
The Rossoneri worked their way back into it and Leao, wearing the number 10 shirt for the first time, set up Giroud for the header but the Frenchman was denied by Lunin. Rafa then played in Reijnders, only for Alaba to recover and then Romero to fire off target from close range.
AC Milan were in the ascendancy but Vini Jr broke free of Kjaer on the break to make it 3-2. In the 90th minute, Giroud came close with a well-struck free-kick but it was just off target
