Slovan Bratislava 2-3 Milan: Rossoneri earn third straight Champions League win

By Sports Desk November 26, 2024

AC Milan earned their third successive Champions League win with a 3-2 victory at Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday, hanging on despite coming under fierce pressure late on.

The first half ended level with Milan's Christian Pulisic opening the scoring in the 21st minute before a quick counterattack led to Slovan's Tigran Barseghyan equalising three minutes later.

Milan struggled to put Slovan away before substitute Rafael Leao put them back in front in the 68th minute, staying onside from Youssouf Fofana's pass to tuck home.

Tammy Abraham then extended their lead by capitalising on a horror back-pass from David Strelec just three minutes later.

Slovan pulled a goal back through Nino Marcelli in the 88th minute and also had Marko Tolic sent off late on, as he picked up two yellow cards for dissent in a matter of moments.

However, Milan came through the late drama to move onto nine points while Slovan, with no points, remain rooted at the bottom of the standings. 

Data Debrief: Pulisic flying the flag

Pulisic's opener made him just the second American player to score three goals in a single Champions League campaign, after DeMarcus Beasley for PSV in 2004-05.

Milan, meanwhile, have won three straight group-stage matches in the Champions League for the first time since 2004-05 under Carlo Ancelotti, when they reached the final but were memorably beaten by Liverpool after surrendering a 3-0 lead.

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    The Belgium international then set up Sead Kolasinac with a throughball from midfield, and the former Arsenal defender calmly slotted home.

    De Ketelaere capped off a dominant first half with his third assist, setting up Retegui once more.

    Atalanta's fifth, and De Ketelaere's second, arrived 11 minutes after the restart as he drilled in a low shot from the edge of the box, with some help from a deflection, and Lazar Samardzic made it six in stoppage time.

    Data Debrief: King Charles 

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    He is the first Belgian to do so and the first for an Italian side.

    De Ketelaere is just the third player to assist three goals in the first half of a Champions League game, after Ryan Giggs for Manchester United against Roma in April 2007 and Carlos Martins for Benfica against Lyon in November 2010.

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