Manchester United’s cautious weaknesses returned as AC Milan snatched a last-minute equalizer in their Europa League last-16 first-leg tie at Old Trafford.
Amad Diallo’s dazzling header five minutes into the subsequent half looked like giving United a first-leg lead.
Be that as it may, Milan, who had effectively been brutally denied a wonder goal when Franck Kessie’s first-half volley was precluded for handball, answered when Simon Kjaer avoided the considerations of Nemanja Matic at a corner directly at the passing and controlled a close post header past Dean Henderson’s frail endeavor to save.
It was the Milan side missing Ibrahimovic in this whole game. It was unfortunate development on Diallo, who scored in very splendid style with his first goal for the United senior squad in only his third appearance for the Red Devils.
The Ivorian hustled on to Bruno Fernandes’ splendid chipped pass five minutes subsequent to supplanting Anthony Martial at half-time, at that point, circled the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.
Stunning Diallo, hopeless Maguire
Diallo’s way was deferred marginally as he had a band he was wearing on his wrist secured. It was the lone exercise in futility the 18-year-old was liable for. It may just be his third United game yet he as of now looks great incentive for the underlying £19m United paid Atalanta for him in January.
Just Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, and George Best have scored such European goals at a more youthful age for the club, and for quite a while, the moving exertion appeared to be set to save Harry Maguire’s shambolic performance for a basically woeful first-half miss.
Maguire screwed away a chance from the corner even if he was so close to the goal from a Telles corner. Maguire ended up in the net however the ball didn’t as it flicked off within the post and flew across the six-yard territory to security.
Diaz beams on Manchester return
Regardless of Ibrahimovic’s nonattendance, there were still some natural countenances on the Milan side. Diogo Dalot is as yet a United player yet, not at all like in the Premier League, Uefa rules permitted him to play against his parent club, while England safeguards Fikayo Tomori may yet have a future at Chelsea.
It is currently over a long time since Brahim Diaz left Manchester City for Real Madrid. Diaz was important for a similar City youth group as Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho. Like Sancho, he concluded there was a future away from Pep Guardiola.
Obviously, he chose to utilize his re-visitation of Manchester to help an English crowd to remember his ability as he tested and pushed around the United box as Milan took control.
Everyone’s eyes on the subsequent leg:
Simon Kjær’s 91st-moment header has changed the entire composition of this tie.
Manchester United were not really cruising clear however Diallo’s header had apparently put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in shaft position for the subsequent leg. Manchester United could’ve sat back at the San Siro and permitted Milan to make advances on them leaving them suspected on the break.
In any case, they turned off briefly from a corner, and unexpectedly it’s Stefano Pioli who holds every one of the cards.
It was by and large what Milan merited, they gathered 14 shots to United’s seven and looked hazardous the entire evening – even without any semblance of Ante Rebić and a specific Zlatan Ibrahimović. It’s everyone’s eyes on the second leg now and the Serie A side is in shaft position.
Manager’s words after the match:
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was not so pleased after the match, he said: “That equalizer makes it harder but it was always going to be down to the second game. We were too slow with the possession, it is sometimes hard off the back of a game like Manchester City. Dean can save it of course, but we should have attacked the ball. We were a long way off it today. Amad Diallo is creative, he plays with freedom. Amad had a nice goal, he still has loads to learn and he will be better for that.”
What’s next:
Premier League game awaits as Manchester United faces West Ham United at Old Trafford on 13th March as they look to close the gap against table leaders Manchester City.
