AC Milan rounded off their preseason tour of the Far East in the perfect way as they beat Perth Glory 9-0 in Western Australia on Thursday afternoon.
2025 Club Friendlies
0-9
Match Report
When the scoreline read five-nil at half-time it was already obvious that there was a big gulf between the two sides. Nonetheless, Noah Okafor’s brace continued the good signs from the Liverpool win.
In the second half Rafael Leao got a double as the Rossoneri fell just short of double figures. The clean sheet was of course pleasing, but this was an exercise undoubtedly centred around developing attacking patterns.
Massimiliano Allegri chose to make eight changes to the starting XI from the team that beat Liverpool on Saturday, giving a chance to the likes of Matteo Gabbia, Filippo Terracciano, Pervis Estupinan, Christian Comotto and Alex Jimenez.
It took Milan just two and a half minutes to take the lead, and it came through an unlikely source. Terracciano made an underlapping run into the box and was found by Noah Okafor, finishing with a low shot that the goalkeeper Brighitti will feel disappointed to have let in.
The opening stages continued to play out in a surprisingly frantic way, with Samuel Chukwueze having a shot well blocked after driving into the box, before Sulemani tested Mike Maignan for the first time with a curling shot that was more or less straight at him.
Milan took complete command of the encounter with three quick-fire goals. The first was brilliantly made by Jimenez, who managed to dart into the box with a driving run and tee up Noah Okafor, who slotted inside the far post.
The same duo were involved again not long later, with the Spaniard again making a direct run towards the left byline, this time cutting back to Ruben Loftus-Cheek whose shot deflected to Okafor for a tap-in on the line.
Christian Comotto was chopped down inside the box after a clumsy foul on the half-hour mark. The teenage midfielder was allowed to take the penalty having earned it, and his panenka down the middle was ice cold.
Chukwueze then deservedly got his name on the scoresheet two minutes later and with a rocket of a strike. The Nigerian shuffled in from the right and fired a left-footed shot straight into the inside netting of the near post.
Allegri changed the entire team for the second half as Pietro Terracciano, Magni, Tomori, Thiaw, Bartesaghi, Musah, Ricci, Fofana, Liberali, Leao and Saelemakers all came on.
It took Leao just 15 seconds to add a sixth goal. Liberali was the one who won the flick-on to find the run in behind from the Portuguese, and he finished with composure after finding himself 1v1.
In the 58th minute, Samuele Ricci caused plenty of eyebrows to raise with a beautiful goal. Liberali was involved again, back-heeling the ball to Saelemaekers who laid it off to the Italian midfielder, and the first-time strike into the top corner was a beauty.
Things didn’t slow down from there as it continued to be almost a basketball game. Perth perhaps should have had some glory when Fofana’s mistake in midfield ended with Anasmo curling well over from the left side of the area.
Not long after Dutu slipped over and almost gifted a goal to the hosts, Milan got an eighth goal. Musah picked up possession on the right side and meandered into the box, deciding to hammer a shot at the near post with his options limited and finding the roof of the net.
With five minutes left on the clock, Leao joined Okafor on a brace. Davide Bartesaghi clipped in a teasing high cross from the left side and the winger – playing as a centre-forward – was waiting at the far stick to nod it back across goal and inside the far post.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-1 Milan
13' Highlight from Perth Glory vs Milan
23' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-2 Milan (Noah Okafor)
26' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-3 Milan (Noah Okafor)
30' Penalty Goal! Perth Glory 0-4 Milan (Christian Comotto)
32' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-5 Milan (Samuel Chukwueze)
38' Match Event for Perth Glory vs Milan
46' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-6 Milan (Rafael Leão)
58' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-7 Milan (Samuele Ricci)
77' Match Event for Perth Glory vs Milan
80' GOAL! Perth Glory 0-8 Milan (Yunus Musah)
86' Highlight from Perth Glory vs Milan
Line-ups
Perth Glory XI: Mark Birighitti, J. Risdon, Scott Wootton, Adam Taggart, Brian Kaltak, Sam Sutton, Callum Timmins, Trent Ostler, Taras Gomulka, Arion Sulemani, Khoa Ngo
Subs: Brandon O'Neill, Oliver Sail, Lachlan Wales, Nathanael Blair, Kaelan Majekodunmi, Andriano Lebib, Joel Anasmo, William Freney, Adam Bugarija, Tadiwanashe Kuzamba, Alfie Knight, Sebastian Despotovski, Max Argent
Milan XI: Maignan, Loftus-Cheek, Pervis Estupiñán, Chukwueze, Gabbia, Okafor, S. Pavlovic, Warren Bondo, Terracciano, Jimenez, Christian Comotto
Subs: Pietro Terracciano, Tomori, Leao, Yunus Musah, Alexis Saelemaekers, Samuele Ricci, Youssouf Fofana, Malick Thiaw, Davide Bartesaghi, Matteo Duțu, Torriani, Mattia Liberali, Vittorio Magni, Matteo Pittarella