Milan were 2-1 down to Dudelange at San Siro, but a late rally inspired by Hakan Calhanoglu – including two own goals – turned it around for a 5-2 victory.
2018/2019 UEFA Europa League
5-2
Match Events
21'GOAL! Milan 1-0 F91 Dudelange (Cutrone)
Calabria bursts forward down the right and cuts the ball back to Higuain on the edge of the box. The Argentine pulls of a wonderful back-heel to move the ball on to Cutrone who holds off his defender, swivels and hits a left footed shot low towards the goal. The goalkeeper lets the ball slip through his grasp and it slowly nestles in the back of the net.
39'GOAL! Milan 1-1 F91 Dudelange (Stolz)
The ball in from the left breaks towards the edge of the box and the on rushing Stolz. The German midfielder doesn’t have to break strde and unleashes a fierce half volley into the top right corner.
49'GOAL! Milan 1-2 F91 Dudelange (Turpel)
This is a huge upset at the San Siro. Jordanov swivels on the edge of the box and hits a shot which deflects into the path of Turpel via Zapata. The striker takes the ball on the right of the Milan box and hits it first time. It is another fantastic strike from a Dudelange player and the ball flies past Reina and into the top right corner.
67'OWN GOAL! Milan 2-2 F91 Dudelange (Stelvio)
Milan have the equaliser. Calhanoglu has possession on the left hand side and he whips a right footed cross into the heart of the Dudelange box. Defenders desperately try to get their heads to the ball to head clear but it is Stelvio who gets there and heads the ball over his own goalkeeper.
70'GOAL! Milan 3-2 F91 Dudelange (Calhanoglu)
The Rossoneri are back in front. Higuain is involved again as the runs at the Dudelange back four. He is dispossessed but the ball falls to Calhanoglu 25 yards out and he has the composure and technique to hit a low, drilled, swerving shot past the reach of the goalkeeper.
77'OWN GOAL! Milan 4-2 F91 Dudelange (Schnell)
Calhanoglu whips in a right footed free kick from the right, the ball dips just before the goal and the player to get the touch is Schnell, who sees the ball loop once again over the Dudelange goalkeeper.
80'GOAL! Milan 5-2 F91 Dudelange (Borini)
The work was done by Calhanoglu, who has been wonderful in this second half. The Milan man turns his man and crashes his shot against the crossbar. The ball bounces out to Borini who slides the ball home via the goalkeeper’s body.
Match Report
The hosts began with admirable intent and it was no surprise to see Cutrone squirm a 21st-minute shot through Landry Bonnefoi following Gonzalo Higuain's clever backheel.
But the early goal only seemed to lull Milan into a slumber that was punished six minutes before the break, Schnell making a nuisance of himself from a corner and midfielder Stolz emphatically dispatching the loose ball.
Gattuso must have been ready to explode when, four minutes after the interval, Cristian Zapata misread a deflection and left Turpel to unerringly pick out the bottom-left corner.
Then came the much-needed response. Cutrone restored parity thanks to a heavy touch off Stelvio in the 66th minute before Calhanoglu stroked home from 20 yards moments later to complete the quickfire turnaround.
The relief was palpable when skipper Schnell headed into his own net at the near post as Borini was left to finalise a result that keeps Milan one point off leaders Betis.
Line-ups
Milan XI: Pepe Reina, C. Zapata, G. Higuaín, Bertolacci, Calhanoglu, Bakayoko, Simic, D. Laxalt, Halilovic, Calabria, Cutrone
Subs: Montolivo, Abate, R. Rodríguez, Borini, Suso, Mauri, G. Donnarumma
F91 Dudelange XI: Marc-André Kruska, Stélvio, Landry Bonnefoi, Tom Schnell, Jerry Prempeh, Bryan Mélisse, Dominik Stolz, David Turpel, Edisson Jordanov, C. Couturier, D. Sinani
Subs: Levan Kenia, Mario Pokar, Nicolas Perez, Kevin Malget, A. El Hriti, E. Agović, E. Esposito