AC Milan showcased their lethal counter-attacking prowess to outclass Liverpool in a thrilling 4-2 friendly match in Hong Kong over the weekend.
The Rossoneri wasted no time in making their mark, with Rafael Leao breaking the deadlock just 12 minutes in. The forward expertly evaded Virgil van Dijk before slotting the ball past Alisson.
Liverpool fought back and managed to level the score in the 26th minute through Dominik Szoboszlai’s sublime strike from the edge of the box, set up by Rio Ngumoha.
However, Milan delivered a double blow early in the second half. Ruben Loftus-Cheek deceived Milos Kerkez in the box before calmly finding the bottom corner past Giorgi Mamardashvili. Noah Okafor then extended Milan’s lead with a composed finish from another rapid counter-attack.
Despite Ryan Gravenberch hitting the woodwork with a long-range effort, Liverpool struggled to find their rhythm. Cody Gakpo did manage to pull one back with a looping header in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late for the English champions.
Liverpool’s attack faltered without key players like Hugo Ekitike, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz. They had plenty of chances, but only generated 1.17 expected goals (xG) from 18 attempts, with seven on target.
The Reds also struggled to contain Milan’s counter-attacks, especially after Joe Gomez’s injury forced him to leave the pitch. Milan, on the other hand, were clinical in front of goal, scoring four times from 10 shots on target and accumulating a higher xG of 2.12.
Overall, AC Milan’s impressive display highlighted their strength on the break, while Liverpool will need to regroup and improve their defensive solidity ahead of the new season.
