Substitute’s wondergoal leads Barcelona past AC Milan — PHOTOS
Barcelona winger Ansu Fati struck the ball about as cleanly as possible.
Fati had only been on the field for about 10 minutes. The game between FC Barcelona and AC Milan was scoreless when Fati and Spanish left back Alejandro Balde came on at halftime.
Balde picked up the ball in the 55th minute near the midfield line on the left wing and drove at the Milan defense before playing the ball to Fati.
The 20-year old chopped the ball back onto his stronger right foot, escaping his defenders, then launched a curled shot past Milan’s French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who was only able to swipe at the ball as it flew by, into the top-right corner.
“I’m very happy for him. He’s working hard,” Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said. “We need everybody. We need everybody during the season, and everybody can be important. Today it was Ansu.”
Fati’s goal was the difference Tuesday, as Barcelona defeated AC Milan 1-0 in front of 38,986 fans at Allegiant Stadium as part of the 2023 Soccer Champions Tour.
Milan manager Stefano Pioli praised the facilities in Las Vegas, and said it was on par with SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where he’d visited earlier during Milan’s preseason.
“Stadiums like this should be the model for Italian football,” Pioli said via a translator.
Both teams had chances in the first half. Barca named a starting 11 mixed with normal starters and some younger academy prospects, while Milan put out a stronger lineup that included American winger Christian Pulisic.
Barcelona’s best early chance came off a corner kick in the 11th minute. Brazilian winger Raphinha, who scored the only goal in the El Clasico match against Real Madrid at Allegiant Stadium last summer, sent in his cross low and fast toward Milan’s front post.
The ball deflected off several Milan defenders before bouncing out toward Pulisic. However, he wasn’t able to clear the ball, which fell to Barcelona’s French defender Jules Kounde. He lashed the ball through the crowd and beat Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
However, Kounde’s shot couldn’t beat the far post, instead ricocheting off it. AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori then made a huge block on Barcelona winger Ferran Torres’ follow-up attempt on the wide-open goal.
Barcelona’s best chances generally came through Raphinha on the right wing. He got the better of AC Milan’s French left back Theo Hernandez a few times early, including one run that resulted in Raphinha being brought down in the penalty box, which was ultimately waved away by the referee. However, Hernandez began to lock Raphinha down later in the half.
Milan’s best chance of the first half came in transition, one minute before halftime. A Barcelona giveaway triggered a counterattack for Portuguese winger Rafael Leao. He corralled a long pass, then drove past Kounde to get in on goal.
But Kounde did just enough to force Leao wide and cut down his angle at goal, and his shot ended up going straight at goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
Barcelona almost doubled its lead 11 minutes after Fati’s goal. Uruguayan right back Ronald Araujo made a lung-busting run up the right wing to aid a Barca counterattack, then scored a headed goal off a cross from Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, but he was called offside.
Milan came close to tying the match in the 76th minute. Leao pressured Barcelona into giving the ball away in its own half, then drove toward goal and played a cutback pass to Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. But the 25-year old, alone in front of a wide-open goal, put his shot wide right.
Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.
