The 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League opening match last September 17 between AC Milan and Liverpool took a turn when the Reds made a winning comeback after falling behind after Pulisic's goal during the first three minutes of the match.

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Pulisic's First Goal Gave Milan an Early Lead and Opened Hopes for Winning

San Siro stadium went wild after AC Milan opened the game with a strong start. Christian Pulisic, 26, felt it was a perfect opportunity to score a goal just three minutes into the game from a well-timed pass that went through the Red's defense. The American midfielder took a clean low strike going to the corner and past Liverpool's goalkeeper, Alisson, leading to the home crowd's scream and anticipation of a winning game in favor of Milan.

Milan controlled the field during the first fifteen minutes of the match's opening. Rossoneri players Ismael Bennacer, Rafael Leao, Sandro Tonali, and Olivier Giroud kept Liverpool nowhere near an angle where they could score. The absence of Andrew Robertson due to an injury made Kostas Tsimikas take over his position but struggled to slow Pulisic down in the right wing.

As Milan maintained their strong and solid gameplay, the Reds started to find their game tempo. Coach Arne Slot has been doing a great job leading the Reds since he started early this year despite losing to Forest a few days ago. Known for his technique of keeping his players relaxed under pressure has started to give Liverpool an advantage against Milan.

Liverpool Managed To Bounce Back Through Their Set-Pieces

Milan's early definitely put Liverpool under pressure but the series of set-pieces Liverpool got has turned the odds to their side. In the match's 23rd minute, Dominik Szoboszlai slid the ball to the box with a free-kick leading Ibrahima Konate to secure a header goal against Milan, leveling the score to 1-1.

Rossoneri goalkeeper Mike Maignan was left defenseless and Milan's gameplay started to crumble next to their very own eyes. With Liverpool now controlling the field, Milan is struggling to keep their defense intact which usually worked in Serie A now has become useless against the Reds' center-backs.

Just before the halftime whistle blew, Reds captain Virgil van Dijk found a chance to get a score during the 41st minute and used all his strength to get past his defenders putting the ball into the back of the net. Milan's pressure has now doubled as Liverpool now holds the lead with a 2-1 score.

Milan struggling to defend their set-pieces is something that has been happening for quite a while now. It just became more evident when the Reds started making it more obvious during their match. Liverpool is known for being one of the best in Europe when it comes to maximizing chances with their strong will to win. As Milan continues to struggle, Liverpool clearly found their way to dominate the second half.

Szoboszlai Ended Milan's Hope For a Comeback in The Second Half

Paulo Fonseca, Milan's coach pushed his players to bring the score to a tie at the start of the second half. Leao made it hard for Liverpool defenders to watch him closely with his dribbling and quick moves. The Portuguese forward made multiple attempts after getting a clear space on the left wing but failed to convert even a single attempt into a goal leaving Milan in deep frustration.

Milan's woes intensified when their goalkeeper suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Lorenzo Torriani in the match's 63rd minute. Torriani was put in the spotlight as Maignan exited the field. It has been that long since Torriani is manning the net when Dominik Szoboszlai hit a low shot outside the box from a quick chain pass from Salah and Jota.

Young Torriani was left in shock and the rest of Milan as they saw Liverpool now leading with two more points. The hope of getting at least a draw is now down in the ditch for Milan. The Hungarian midfielder has always been showing impressive performances since he joined the Reds and has become the man of the night.

Despite the pressure kept adding up for Milan, they had no plans of backing down as they kept pushing to get a goal against their opponent. With two points behind Liverpool, Milan's chances of a comeback now depend on how they break the solid defense of the Reds.

With multiple attempts from Milan, Leao came close enough to get the score to 3-2 during the 82nd minute with a shot from the box but only to hit the post. Milan's attackers ended the match in frustration as they struggled the entire time to get past Alisson to secure another goal.

Conclusion

The match was intense but Liverpool found a way to get that win no matter what after their shaky start. Milan's defeat greatly shows how the Reds have remained one of the top European contenders in the football world. The opening of this season's Champions League started way better than anyone had expected. Liverpool getting their first win this season has put them in the top 3 league standings.

AC Milan now in the 33rd spot in the standings should take their loss as a sign to get their act together, especially when defending their set-pieces. They did deliver a great start but failed to maintain their strength in the field leading them to suffer a heartbreaking loss on opening day.

As for dealing with players suffering injuries, Milan has to make several decisions carefully now that their domestic fixture with Inter-Milan is around the corner. You can follow Milan's performance through Bongdalu and witness how they improve or remain the same in their next match.

The opening match between Milan and Liverpool for the Champions League has brought different insights from fans and analysts. With the Reds hoping to get a chance to win the trophy again their strong start might actually bring them somewhere. As for Milan, if adjustments and improvements will not be made, the team will remain on the bottom list of the standings.

Get updated with the latest football news, gossip, schedules, and real-time match scores with Bongdalu as the Champions League continues on September 18!