In the first leg of the Italian Champions League duel against SSC Napoli, AC Milan created a good starting position for the second leg of the quarter-finals.
SSC Napoli, aspiring champions in Serie A, lost the first leg of the quarter-finals in the inner-Italian duel against AC Milan just 0-1 (0-1). Reaching the first Champions League semi-final in the club’s history is not hopeless in the second leg in front of a home crowd at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, precisely because Naples presented themselves very courageously for long stretches.
Counter goal puts Milan in the lead
The first highlight of the game was only 57 seconds away: Milan midfielder Rade Krunic unintentionally put the ball on the oncoming Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Krunic was able to clear the situation himself in the end and scraped the ball off the line. After that, the Milan defense around keeper Mike Maignan had a lot to do to prevent Frank Anguissa (3rd), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (5th) and Piotr Zieliński (13th) from completing goals.
Even though the early stages went clearly to Serie A dominators Napoli with 7-0 shots on goal, seven-time Champions League winners Milan made it clear that he was very much a force to be reckoned with: Out of nowhere, Rafael Leão had the Lead on the foot, but missed the goal by a hair’s breadth (26th). Coach Stefano Pioli’s team repeatedly overran the Neapolitans with quick counterattacks. Such a goal finally initiated Milan’s lead with a shot by Ismael Bennacer just before the break (40th). Shortly thereafter, the crossbar prevented a 2-0 lead (45 +3).
Only recently, Milan gave the up-and-coming champions from Naples a bitter 0: 4 smack in the league and made it clear that this would not be a sure-fire success for the SSC, which scored 25 goals present the best offensive in the premier class so far this season.
Dismissal weakens Napoli
As at the start of the game, the guests were back at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium after the break, this time the crossbar prevented the Rossoneri’s goal (50′). Even after the restart, the fans at San Siro saw a fast-paced game, but initially there weren’t any great chances to score.
A referee’s decision caused a lot of discussion: Napoli’s Frank Anguissa received a yellow card in the 71st minute after a tactical foul, and less than three minutes later the midfielder saw a yellow card again because of a high leg and was sent off. A tough decision that threw the southern Italians off track.
But only for a short time: After Luciano Spalletti’s team had recovered, they went on offensively and almost scored the equalizer in the 87th minute. Once again, the promoted Giovanni Di Lorenzo appeared dangerous in the box, but Milan keeper Maignan deflected the ball over the bar to ensure the Rossoneri’s narrow 1-0 win.
Osimhen sorely missed
Coach Luciano Spalletti’s side will be without key player Min-jae Kim in the second leg due to a yellow card suspension, but are hoping for a return for their injured top striker Victor Osimhen, who scored three times in the two round of 16 games against Eintracht Frankfurt alone and in his current one shape can make the difference.
