Liverpool made a triumphant return to the UEFA Champions League after missing out last season, securing a 3-1 win against AC Milan at the iconic San Siro Stadium on Tuesday.
The match started on a rocky note for the Reds, with Christian Pulisic giving Milan an early lead in the third minute through a swift counterattack. However, Liverpool quickly regrouped, demonstrating resilience and tactical prowess.
Ibrahima Konate leveled the score in the 23rd minute, heading in a free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Virgil van Dijk then put Liverpool ahead just before halftime, nodding in a corner from Kostas Tsimikas.
Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the victory in the 67th minute, slotting the ball into the far corner after Cody Gakpo's precise cross. The Liverpool defense, initially disorganized, found its rhythm as the game progressed.
\"A great way to spend my birthday,\" said Liverpool manager Arne Slot, celebrating his 46th birthday alongside the team's success. \"You wouldn't have said this after five minutes, but after, we did well.\"
Despite AC Milan's strong start, Liverpool dominated the latter part of the game, much to the delight of the 4,400 traveling fans. Van Dijk commented on the team's performance, \"Shaky start with the goal that we conceded, but after that, the way we stayed calm, kept playing, kept looking for the solution, I think that was very good to see.\"
Tuesday's other results (home teams listed first):
- Juventus 3-1 PSV Eindhoven
- Young Boys 0-3 Aston Villa
- Bayern Munich 9-2 Dynamo Kyiv
- Sporting CP 2-0 Lille
- Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart
Reference(s):
Liverpool kick off UEFA Champions League with 3-1 win over AC Milan
cgtn.com
