Liverpool vs AC Milan LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Two giants of European history met for a first ever competitive encounter outside of a final
The Champions League continued tonight and Premier League side Liverpool started their group campaign with a thrilling 3-2 home win againstAC Milan.
Despite the two clubs being among the most successful handful of teams in European Cup history, they had only ever met twice in competitive games – the 2005 and 2007 Champions League finals. This occasion, then, was set to be a rather different one and a first visit for the Serie A giants to Anfield. Neither one had lost a match yet this term, with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds in the group level on points at the top of the Premier League and the Rossoneri similarly positioned in Italy’s top flight.
That changed this evening, however, with Liverpool edging an enthralling encounter. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected shot put the hosts ahead, before Mohamed Salah’s penalty was saved. Still, the Reds were rampant, yet Milan netted twice in quick succession against the run of play to head into the break with a 2-1 lead – Brahim Diaz and Ante Rebic the goalscorers. Salah put away a dinked pass from Divock Origi, though, to equalise early in the second half, before Jordan Henderson’s drilled half-volley restored Liverpool’s lead – which they retained until the full-time whistle.
Relive updates of the Champions League Group B encounter between Liverpool and AC Milan below:
Liverpool 2 - 2 AC Milan
57 mins: Naby Keita attacks for Liverpool. He works his way down the left wing and sweeps into the box. He’s got teammates waiting in the middle and attempts the flick the ball into them only for Maignan to stretch out his arms and pluck the pass out of the air.
Olivier Giroud is warming up for Milan.
Liverpool 2 - 2 AC Milan
54 mins: Liverpool are on the front foot again and Sadio Mane has just come out to warm up. It might not be long before we see him. The home side win another corner that Robertson delivers into the box. Rebic is back for this one and he heads it clear for Milan.
Liverpool 2 - 2 AC Milan
51 mins: Chance! There’s no time to breathe watching this. Calabria sends the ball out for a corner that Robertson swings into the box. It doesn’t reach Origi and the ball is headed out as far as Alexander-Arnold. He blasts it back at goal first time and the shot flies over the crossbar!
GOAL! Liverpool 2 - 2 AC Milan (Salah, 49’)⚽️
49 mins: This one counts! What a game we’ve got here. Fabinho drives the ball up the pitch and gives it to Salah. He lays it off to Origi and runs into the box. Origi scoops the ball over the Milan defence as Salah sprints through the lines. He brings the ball down, waits for Maignan to move then slots it to his right and finds the bottom corner. Liverpool are level again.
GOAL! No it’s disallowed!
Liverpool 1 - 2 AC Milan
47 mins: Milan thought they had a third. They win an early corner and Theo Hernandez plays it short. He gets the ball back and fires a low cross into the middle. The ball squirts through to Simon Kjaer who sweeps it into the back of the net but he’s offside and the goal doesn’t count!
Liverpool 1 - 2 AC Milan
Second half: Milan get us back underway at Anfield. If this 45 has half the excitement of the first 45 we’re in for a cracking finish.
Liverpool 1 - 2 AC Milan
Alexander-Arnold’s deflected strike put Liverpool in front but AC Milan responded with Ante Rebic and Brahim Diaz just before half-time. Can the Reds find a way back into this match?
Liverpool 1 - 2 AC Milan
A bit of admin to go through. Liverpool’s goal has officially gone down as a Fikayo Tomori own goal instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first Champions League goal in 35 games.
Mo Salah failed to convert a penalty for just the second time in 19 attempts for Liverpool, with this his first since failing to score versus Huddersfield in October 2017.
Half-time: Liverpool 1 - 2 AC Milan
45+1 mins: What a half of football. The Champions League at its best. Liverpool dominated. They attacked, attacked and attacked but only managed to score the opener. Mo Salah missed a penalty and then in the space of two minutes AC Milan broke the Reds down twice and take a lead into the break. Jurgen Klopp won’t be able to believe what he’s just seen.
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