10 hours ago
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AC Milan’s Supercoppa Italiana defence was halted at the first hurdle as they lost 2-0 to Napoli at the King Saud University Stadium.
Napoli scored a goal in each half to book their place in Monday’s final against the winners of Bologna versus Inter. The first came from David Neres late in the first half, and the second came from Rasmus Hojlund early in the second half.
On both goals Koni De Winter and Mike Maignan did not cover themselves in any glory in what was a bad night at the office for Massimiliano Allegri’s side. Now, there is only Serie A to focus on, but doubts will once again have grown about how ready this team are.
Massimiliano Allegri made three changes to the starting line-up from the team that drew with Sassuolo on Sunday. Matteo Gabbia’s injury saw Koni De Winter come in, while Ardon Jashari replaced the rested Luka Modric, and Pervis Estupinan took the spot of Davide Bartesaghi who had a flexor issue.
Napoli started the game on the front foot and their press caused a turnover one minute in, with the square ball to Elmas met by a sweeping shot that Mike Maignan was able to grab comfortably.
Then it was Milan’s turn to generate some danger at the other end. It came from a throw-in into the box that Strahinja Pavlovic acrobatically kicked towards goal, but it was Ruben Loftus-Cheek who latched onto it just before Milinkovic-Savic got there, but he came out well to make a close-range save.
Alexis Saelemaekers was buzzing around inside the opening 10 minutes, fresh off his renewal until 2031. He made a couple of excellent sliding challenges that the local support – the vast majority Milanisti – really appreciated.
Milan continued to show some promising attacking play, working a move nicely 15 minutes in that ended with Christopher Nkunku heading a cross back into a dangerous area and Saelemaekers slicing a volley over.
There was a moment of panic created by Maignan midway through the half, when he came to claim a corner but dropped it despite having the ball in both hands, leading to a shot hooked wide by Elmas with the goalkeeper stranded.
There was a flashpoint in the game just before the half-hour mark. Maignan got cleaned out by Hojlund after clearing a ball which the Milan players didn’t like, then Adrien Rabiot seemed to get revenge with a sweeping challenge on Politano.
McTominay provided a reminder of the threat that he poses when he linked with with fellow former Manchester United man Hojlund. The striker laid off to the run of the midfielder, who fired a first-time shot just wide.
Ten minutes before the break, the Rossoneri’s crossing again caused Napoli an issue. A teasing ball was hung up for Rabiot at the far post, and though he met it well, he headed it over the bar.
The field completely opened up for Milan to run into when a Napoli corner was cleared, with Saelemaekers leading a three-on-two break. He chose to feed Nkunku but the pass was behind him, and the Frenchman rocketed his attempt well over the bar when he settled himself just inside the box.
Milan were maid to pay for their missed chances, as Napoli took the lead six minutes before the break. It was a goal that Allegri will have been angry to concede, as De Winter allowed Hojlund to turn and fire a cross that Maignan tipped into the path of Neres, who fired into an empty net with Pavlovic misjudging the danger.
Maignan went some way towards atoning for the goal conceded by making a brilliant low stop at his near post to deny a shot from Hojlund on the counter that appeared to have wrong-footed him.
Napoli had the first big opportunity of the second half and it came from the unlikely boot of centre-back Rrahmani, who stepped into a shot about 20 yards out that was flying into the top corner but was punched away by Maignan.
In the 64th minute, Napoli doubled their advantage and it was again a questionable passage of play from De Winter and Maignan. Hojlund was allowed to latch onto a through ball and surge for the byline by the Belgian, before firing a shot under the Frenchman from a narrow angle.
Allegri reacted immediately with a couple of changes. Youssouf Fofana and Zachary Athekame were the ones introduced, with De Winter and Saelemaekers then off. It marked a switch to what looked like a 4-3-3, and then Luka Modric came on to replace Jashari with 15 minutes left, not long after Hojlund had spun De Winter again before shooting wide.
The final moments were notable only really for some further tense moments between the players, including when McTominay had to be separated from Tomori after the former had clattered Nkunku and the latter had then followed through with a challenge on the Scot.
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