Europa League, Milan slips at home: Benfica wins deservedly 2-0

Misstep by Milan at his seasonal debut in Europa League. At San Siro, it’s the Benfica to pass with merit 2-0 thanks to goals from Lukebakio and Kaminski.

The match broke the deadlock in the 16th minute in favor of the guests. Kaminski centralizes and serves Lukebakio on the right, who concentrates on the left and takes advantage of a too soft marking from Bartesaghi to then pass Maignan with a nice left-footed shot from outside into the far corner. Eight minutes later Sudakov came close to doubling the lead when his right-footed shot from the edge of the box hit the post. The Rossoneri’s first outburst came from Terracciano, with a long-range shot that forced Trubin to make a diving save.

The seven-time European champions they fail to worry the opposing defense again and they end the first half behind, under the boos of their fans when they return to the locker rooms. Amorim immediately puts Gila and Pulisic on the field. The hosts ate the possible 1-1 in the 5th minute. Cisse enters the area, shoots and finds a rebound that favors De Winter, whose right-footed shot from an excellent position ends up wide.

A sign of awakening, immediately stifled by the Portuguese second goal that arrived three minutes later. El Karouani recovers a loose ball on the left and serves in the center of the area to Kaminski, who takes advantage of a general sleep in the defense to pierce Maignan with a first-time left-footed shot that goes under the crossbar. At this point, Amorim plays the Saelemaekers and Moreira cards. Pulisic led the reaction, but he had a close-range left-footed shot saved by Trubin without being able to take advantage of an assist from Saelemaekers. The Ukrainian goalkeeper put his left hand in a dive in the 36th minute, when Pulisic fired a right-footed shot from the edge of the box towards the corner. The ending offers no further emotions and the result will never change again. Milan will return as protagonists in Europe on 15 October, at Salzburg’s den.