AC Milan beat PSG 2-1; Lee Kang-in equalizer hits woodwork

Football

Published: 08 Nov. 2023, 08:33 Updated: 08 Nov. 2023, 08:54

AC Milan beat PSG 2-1; Lee Kang-in equalizer hits woodwork

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in reacts during a UEFA Champions League Group F match against AC Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Tuesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

AC Milan scored for the first time in this season’s Champions League to beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in a hugely entertaining match on Tuesday and leave Group F wide open.

Rafael Leão and Olivier Giroud scored early in each half to help Milan recover from conceding a ninth-minute opener to former Inter Milan defender Milan Škriniar and give their team its first group win.

There were chances galore in an end-to-end match played at a breathless pace at San Siro.

Milan, which lost 3-0 at PSG two weeks ago, started the day bottom of its group.

Borussia Dortmund beat Newcastle 2-0 in the other match and now leads the group with seven points. The German team is a point above PSG, two above Milan and three above Newcastle.

The match in Milan marked the first time Gianluigi Donnarumma had played at San Siro since leaving the Rossoneri on a free transfer two years ago and joining PSG. And the Italy goalkeeper got a predictably hostile reception at the stadium where he was once loved.

As well as booing Donnarumma and chanting offensive songs about him, Milan fans had also printed out thousands of fake dollar notes with his face on and the word “Dollarumma.”

The noise level ramped up when Donnarumma ran toward the end in front of the hardcore Milan fans at the start of the match and the notes began to rain down in earnest, covering the area around his goal.

Milan should have taken the lead in the sixth minute when Leão skipped down the left and put in a tantalizing cross for an unmarked Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who ballooned over the bar from a good position.

PSG was not so forgiving when the Milan defense was caught napping three minutes later. Marquinhos nodded on a corner and Škriniar, who was left completely unmarked, crouched down to head it in from close range.

However, Milan leveled in impressive fashion just three minutes later. Leão charged down the center of the field and spread the ball to Giroud. His angled drive was parried by Donnarumma but Leão scored the rebound with an acrobatic overhead kick.

Both teams continued to rack up the chances. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan had to be quick off his line to smother at Kylian Mbappé's feet following a great pass from Ousmane Dembelé, who also hit the crossbar in the 27th minute.

Giroud and Leão sent efforts narrowly wide at the other end.

And it was the veteran France forward who gave Milan the lead five minutes into the second half. Leão couldn’t get on the end of Christian Pulisic's cross from the left but Theo Hernández crossed it back in for a towering Giroud header.

Hernández almost got on the scoresheet himself — against the team his brother Lucas plays for — but his free kick was kept out by a flying save from Donnarumma.

PSG came close to snatching a late equalizer but Lee Kang-in's effort came off the outside of the right post.

Outside of the stadium, the game was marred by violence.

A PSG fan was seriously injured and a police officer was wounded after both were stabbed during clashes between supporters of the French team and AC Milan.

According to Italian media, a group of around 50 Milan fans — wearing masks and helmets and throwing flares — attacked PSG supporters in the lively Navigli area of the Italian city on the eve of Tuesday’s Champions League match between the teams.

The PSG fan stabbed twice in the leg. There was no update Tuesday on his status.

There were also clashes between PSG supporters and police. An officer was stabbed in the leg and the alleged culprit was arrested. The officer's injury was reportedly not considered serious.