Liverpool vs AC Milan Legends: Steven Gerrard’s last-minute winner delights Anfield crowd

Liverpool Legends 3-2 AC Milan Glorie: Liverpool’s talisman secured the victory with a vintage half-volley in the game's dying moments

Steven Gerrard retires - This is his career in numbers

As the international break took hold, the ageing heroes returned to Anfield in their hoards as Steven Gerrard thrashed home a last-gasp winner to secure Liverpool Legends a 3-2 victory over AC Milan Glorie.

The game, played with intent, albeit half-speed, started as a stroll for Kenny Dalglish's side, with cumbersome poacher Robbie Fowler giving Liverpool the lead with a wonderful flick off the outside of the boot.

Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and Djibril Cisse all returned for the Reds, and it was the latter who stretched Liverpool's lead to two on the stroke of half-time, breezing past the 52-year-old Alessandro Costacurta before calmly slotting past Dida in the Milan goal.

But then it was the turn of a legend-inundated Milan side, featuring Andrea Pirlo, Kaka, Cafu and Gennaro Gattuso, to prance on the stage. After Kaka was scythed down by Daniel Agger on the edge of the box, Pirlo nonchalantly swept a free-kick up and over the wall with little more than a shrug of the shoulders.

Then, with just three minutes remaining, Giuseppe Pancaro curled a deft finish from the edge of the box into the top corner to put the game on tenterhooks.

But, as if scripted by the Kop crowd themselves, Gerrard stormed through the centre of the pitch as the seconds ticked down, shirked off the challenges of two defenders, and drove the ball into the net off the inside of the post. A fitting end to a sun-blushed afternoon touched by fading stardust.

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[23 March 2019 16:05 · Tom Kershaw]

46 min: AC Milan come close to clawing back the deficit. Again it's Cafu who meanders into space on the right before pulling back towards Kaka. The ball is a touch behind the playmaker though and his effort chips over the bar.

[23 March 2019 16:07 · Tom Kershaw]

49 min: It's a freekick right on the edge of the box after Ambrosini scythes down Glen Johnson

[23 March 2019 16:08 · Tom Kershaw]

49 min: It's Gerrard to take it but the ball clips the top of the wall and is cleared to safety.

[23 March 2019 16:12 · Tom Kershaw]

GOAL! Liverpool Legends 2-0 AC Milan Glorie (Cisse, 51)

Burger plays a neat ball through to Djibril Cisse who, at 37, bursts into life and onto the loose ball, darting goalward and slotting a cool finish beyond Abbiati to put the Reds two clear.

[23 March 2019 16:16 · Tom Kershaw]

56 min: The Kop burst into live as Steven Gerrard loads up his right boot, finally kowtowing to their cries of 'SHOOT'. Their favourite son can't quite get the whip on the ball though, which looks to be parried away by Abbiati but the referee awards a goal kick.

[23 March 2019 16:22 · Tom Kershaw]

GOAL! Liverpool Legends 2-0 AC Milan Glorie (Pirlo, 58)

Daniel Agger hacks down Kaka on the edge of the box and Pirlo pulls the strings of his hair back before effortlessly sweeping the free-kick into the bottom corner. A shrug of the shoulders, normal proceedings for the midfield talisman. Can Milan complete the comeback?

[23 March 2019 16:23 · Tom Kershaw]

[23 March 2019 16:27 · Tom Kershaw]

67 min: Costacurta clatters through Gerrard, who then takes the free-kick quickly and picks the ball up on the edge of the Milan box after a series of passes, but sees his shot deflected behind for a corner.

[23 March 2019 16:28 · Tom Kershaw]

69 min: Steven Gerrard stepover alert! The Rangers boss cuts in off the byline, loses Costacurta with a flurry of stepovers and unleashes a low right footed shot that Abbiati lunges to save. A lovely sequence of play from the Reds captain.

[23 March 2019 16:33 · Tom Kershaw]

73 min: Cisse breaks down the right and floats a ball to the back post. Gerrard heads across the face of goal but Aldridge and Smicer tangle in the box and nobody finds a foot to poke the winner home.