AC Milan featured in their first proper pre-season friendly this evening and despite fielding a rather alternative XI, they came away with the win. Olivier Giroud was the big hero with a lovely brace.
The first ten minutes included a rather high intensity as both teams tried to assert themselves. Above all, Milan struggled a little with Cologne’s high pressure and thus possession shifted teams a lot at the start of the game.
In the 16th minute, thanks to a wonderful counter-attack, Giroud gave Milan the lead with a cheeky finish as he chipped it over the goalkeeper. Rebic was responsible for the assist with a lovely back-heel. In short, it was great from start to finish.
😍 Absolutely wonderful from start to finish!
📽 @Geri96ACMOM25pic.twitter.com/drwDFZNhR6
— SempreMilan 🏆 (@SempreMilanCom) July 16, 2022
Milan continued to pry on the counter-attacks and allowed Cologne to own most of the possession afterwards, relying on their good defending and it turned out to be a good decision by Stefano Pioli.
Because 20 minutes later, Giroud was back at it again as he shifted a pass from Brahim Diaz onto his left foot on the edge of the back. He tried to curl it into the back post and thanks to a rather lucky deflection, his effort dinked over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
👏 Giroud gets his second goal of the night!
📽 @Geri96ACMOM25pic.twitter.com/3Gvj6ReWPa
— SempreMilan 🏆 (@SempreMilanCom) July 16, 2022
As you can imagine, Milan didn’t really have to do that much in the first half but Giroud could’ve got a hat-trick after yet another good counter-attacking move. This time, however, he tried to pass to Rebic which was very unselfish of him. 0-2 heading into the half-time break, therefore.
For the second half, Pioli decided to bring on both Mirante and Adli in place of Tatarusanu and Diaz. The latter didn’t have a successful first half and the goalkeeping change was certainly expected.
61 minutes into the game, Pioli decided that enough was enough for the more ‘competitive’ starting XI as he subbed on the likes of Traore, Cubis, Roback, Maldini and Michelis in place of Florenzi, Rebic, Messias, Giroud and Kalulu.
Both teams had a few opportunities to add more goals to the party but nothing came of it. Milan were thus allowed to control the game for most of the second half and defend to the best of their abilities with a makeshift eleven.
After all of the subs mentioned above, Gabbia got the captain’s armband and he put in a very good performance, it must be said. In the 75th minute, Pioli also took off Bakayoko and brought on Primavera product Brescianini.
As you would expect, the tempo of the game slowed down significantly towards the end and it was rather scrappy. After so many subs that was bound to happen at least for Milan, who brought many youngsters to this clash.
With eight minutes to go, Pioli also brought on Robotti and Bartesaghi in place of Pobega and Ballo-Toure. In the 87th minute, Cologne were able to pull one back as the linesman missed a potential offside. It had been coming, though, based on the chances created. And so, the game finished 1-2.
The kit looks clean.
yeeaa looks even better on the pitch
Cologne?
We must return bakayoko to chelsea and sell ballo toure. Both are awful even on friendly game . Need new DMF that strong in defense for baka replacement