Slovan Bratislava 2-3 AC Milan: Rossoneri hold off 10-man hosts in 5-goal thriller

AC Milan earned their third consecutive victory in the UEFA Champions League by defeating Slovan Bratislava, who sit at the bottom of the table, with a score of 3-2. This result marked the eighth consecutive European defeat for the struggling hosts.

The Rossoneri entered this match with confidence following a decisive win against Real Madrid on matchday four, quickly asserting their dominance in the game.

However, it was David Strelec of the home team who created the first significant opportunity after 15 minutes, rounding goalkeeper Mike Maignan, only to have his shot remarkably cleared off the line by Strahinja Pavlović.

This moment seemed to galvanize the visitors, as Christian Pulisic soon took the spotlight, forcing Dominik Takáč into a sharp save at the near post before breaking the deadlock with a precise low shot into the bottom corner following a counter-attack.

The hosts responded promptly, with Tigran Barseghyan slicing through a disorganized Milan defense and executing a brilliant finish over Maignan to equalize in spectacular fashion.

As one of only five teams yet to earn a point in the UCL group stage, the equalizer boosted the hosts' morale, prompting Milan to work hard to regain their earlier dominance after halftime.

Paulo Fonseca aimed to revitalize his attack after the break by substituting Rafael Leão for Noah Okafor. Although Slovan initially held firm defensively, their leaky backline, which had conceded four goals in each of their previous two home Champions League matches, eventually gave way.

Leão, who came on at halftime, restored Milan's lead by capitalizing on Youssouf Fofana’s incisive pass and placing a precise shot past Takáč. Just three minutes later, Tammy Abraham took advantage of a poor pass from Strelec to score the third goal for his side.

Slovan seemed to be on the verge of defeat, but in the 88th minute, Nino Marcelli unleashed a powerful left-footed shot into the top corner, igniting hopes for a late resurgence.

However, those hopes were dashed as Marko Tolić received a red card for two quick yellow cards, leaving the hosts firmly at the bottom of the Champions League standings.

On the other hand, Fonseca’s team celebrated their third consecutive European victory, a milestone they had not reached since February 2023, bringing them closer to the automatic qualification spots.

SportsLigue