Gennaro Gattuso's AC Milan have started their Europa League campaign with a win, but they were not impressive at Dudelange.
Match Events
13' OFF THE POST! Higuain almost scores
Decent chance! Higuain with a low effort from the edge of the box, he shifts the ball onto his right and drills the ball goalwards, but it flies just wide. The closest either side has come to scoring.
27' CHANCE! Castillejo's shot wide out
CLOSE! Castillejo fires the ball towards goal on the volley, it appears to be going wide of the post but Frising gets down well to make the save, to make sure. However, both the referee and the official on the goal line appear to miss the save and award a goal-kick. Frising clearly pushed the ball around the post and out for a corner.
38' GREAT CHANCE! Caldara's header wide out
49' CLOSE! Frising makes a great save
GREAT SAVE! Frising with a terrific save to deny Higuain from close range. The striker was given far too much time and space in the box and he was superbly picked out by Laxalt, he then tries to place the ball in the far post, but he doesn't get enough on it and Frising gets down quickly to make the stop.
59' GOAL! F91 Dudelange 0-1 Milan (Higuain)
GOOOAAALLL! Milan lead 1-0! They finally have the breakthrough and it's Higuain with the goal. Castillejo sprints into the box and squares the ball to Higuain who was unmarked in the box, his effort takes a deflection off Prempeh and into the back of the net. Just out of the reach of Frising.
67' POST! Borini almost scores
OFF THE POST! Borini strikes the post from close range, his second chance to score in as many minutes! It was another deep cross into the box by Castillejo, met by an unmarked Borini, but his strike cannons off the post and out of danger.
Match Report
AC Milan got away with producing an underwhelming performance as Gonzalo Higuain's deflected second-half goal secured them a 1-0 win over Luxembourg's Dudelange in their Europa League opener.
Gennaro Gattuso named a strong side that, for most of the first hour, looked incapable of breaking down theoretically hugely inferior opposition, and in the end their winning goal proved highly fortunate.
Milan were especially poor in the first half, hardly causing their modest opposition any problems at all at the back, with Dudelange arguably crafting the better opportunities.
But Gattuso's men stepped things up a notch after the break, finding the net - with a little help of a deflection - through Higuain in the 59th minute and that proved to be enough to open their Group F account.
Line-ups
F91 Dudelange XI: Marc-André Kruska, Stélvio, Tom Schnell, Jerry Prempeh, Kevin Malget, Joé Frising, Dominik Stolz, David Turpel, A. El Hriti, C. Couturier, D. Sinani
Subs: Landry Bonnefoi, Mario Pokar, Nicolas Perez, Bryan Mélisse, Patrick Stumpf, Edisson Jordanov, Leon Jensen
Milan XI: Pepe Reina, G. Higuaín, Abate, Borini, Bertolacci, Bakayoko, Castillejo, D. Laxalt, Romagnoli, Mauri, Caldara
Subs: C. Zapata, L. Biglia, Calhanoglu, Halilovic, Calabria, Kessié, G. Donnarumma
Hubaboy
42
Milan was not convincing themselves in this match too. Higuain just managed to save Milan from a very motivated side. The opposition tried their best today unfortunately they didn't find a goal to their remarkable fans. What Milan done special today was Reina. The most experienced one in Milan squad right now. He had great confidence in ground. Bakayoko , Castelijo had done enough to keep the pace for Milan in attack and there was some great piece of defending by Romangoli , Caldara and Laxalt . This match reflects that Milan needs more momentum to reach top level. Hope one day Milan will. Good luck Milan.
okunsdapson
40
if Milan keeps on playing like this, they won't get far into the competition. higuain just managed to score a not convincing goal. They have to take thier chances. You cannot play against a clinical team like that. Overall however, FORZA MILAN