Liverpool FC vs AC Milan U19 Uefa Youth League 2021

Well, Liverpool arrive here, side in form, unbeaten in three games. Hill away to Manchester United and a 3-3 draw at the weekend at Nottingham Forest. 1-1 draw away to Sassuolo, they were beaten 1-0 in Torino at the weekend. They've not actually won Spain and France, but at full international level of course. Italy, very much the team to beat and now the reigning. Let's take a look at these sides then. A largely different XI to the under-18s team that played Nottingham Forest at the weekend. Only Harvey Davies in goal and Lucas Stevenson in midfield keep their places for Liverpool. Milan will set up in a 4-3-3 with the three centrally. The width being supplied by the full backs as well as their two wingers. Captain Andrea Capone will be a threat down Milan's left. Supported by the Hungarian youngster Milos Kerkes, Jordan Amore. Really good chance to see the talents that are Mateusz Muzalowski. He became an online sensation with a wonderful solo goal that he scored against Newcastle in the Academy League last season. Played forward towards Muzalowski, it's Waltman who has it though. Muzalowski is inside him. Waltman turns and gets the shot in and forces the save from Esplanches. Binder this time before just making the leap. Stevenson out to Balaghisi. Kubis across but he was a bit weak there and Liverpool have men forwards. And that is the opening goal. Fabulous hit by Waltman. Milan really only having themselves to blame. Defensively they were poor and Liverpool taking full advantage. It was Andre Kubis who was really weak here. He was the favourite to win the ball. He lost out though. The ball finding its way across to Waltman. Not the cleanest of strikes. It was off the shin I think but found its way into the net anyway. Great work though by Owen Beck. Taking advantage of the hesitancy of Kubis. There's the goal again. All the work really of Owen Beck, the left back. And the hesitancy of Andre Kubis, the Milan right back. Cometeo rising and fouling a Baratin. Free kick for Milan. Born in Lyon in France. Signed his first professional contract with Liverpool last August. Been at the club since under nine level. And that's well wide. Angle was always tight though. Jordan Amore unable to hit the target. Nice touch in from Alhelal. Had it been on target though I think Davies would have had it covered. Federico Giunti. Here's Cade Gordon for Liverpool. He was thinking about the shot and then he was fouled by Christian Folio. Not much expectation on the shoulders of Cade Gordon. It is Gordon and forces the save out of Desblancas. Good shape to get it around the wall but the Milan goalkeeper. Always the favourite to gather. Cade Gordon. Really good run by Gordon. Plays it in again. Great chance and Max Waltman couldn't finish. Desblancas did well in the Milan goal. That opening of Cade Gordon. Good first touch. Neat second touch. And then just unable to clip the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. He was quickly off space to utilise here. Clips it out early to Amore. Amore stepping in and going for goal and forcing a fine save out of Davies. Well he made a better fist in Amore. Well he fired tamely wide. But that was good play. Stepping inside Tyler Morton and then bending it towards that far post. It was on its way as well. Decent save from Harvey Davies. The cross is overhit this time by Beck. Bradley was determined to get there. Such was his determination that he caught the Milan defender. He's going to pick up the first yellow card. I don't think he can have too many complaints in truth. Thrown in quickly and he took a chance there. The defender it's off the crossbar. Goodness me. Luke Chambers got away with that. Decided to let the ball run out. And it didn't make it. Caponi didn't give it up. Touchback to Al-Hilali. And how on earth has he failed to score that? Poor defending from Luke Chambers. You could see he was just trying... Team with the unchallenged header. That's it back again. And although he got the ball the free kick has been given for the way he jumped in on Max Waltman. There's a yellow card out as well for the... 10 years ago maybe that would have been a good challenge. But not... It's the heavy touch there. He goes in to make up for it. He does clearly get... Morton hits it and forces the save from De Blanques. Really good strike from Tyler Morton. Got right through it. And look at the bend on that. It's a terrific effort. And a really good... This is Caponi. Lovely ball in behind. Al-Hilali forces the save from Davies. And then Milan rack up another chance. What a delightful ball that was from Caponi. Good first touch. Made the angle tighter though. And Davies was there to... Get the block in for Liverpool. Here's Beck. Cuts him well. The left back. Still going. Has gone down under the challenge. And he's going to get booked for diving. Joins his fellow fullback Connor Bradley. He's no book. It's a really promising run. But then as he turned there was certainly no... Oh clever little ball that was from Caponi. Dejeu plays it in. And Al-Hilali just unable to finish it off. Really good work though from Caponi and Dejeu. Clever little ball that from the Milan captain Caponi. Took out three Liverpool players. Dejeu helping it on. And hands on head. He can't believe Al-Hilali has been unable to finish it. This was the Liverpool chance at the other end. De Planches gathering that from Bradley's post delivery this time. And then back into the danger zone. And it's a free header. And it's a wonderful save to deny Enrico Dejeu by Harvey Davies. And a chance for Milan that has been passed up by the Italians. He was off the head of Balaghisi. And Stevenson couldn't control. The long-range effort is beaten away by Davies. And then followed in and over the top by Al-Hilali. Well this is turning into an extraordinary collection. What an effort that was. Almost catching Davies out. Al-Hilali getting there and is off the elbow of Davies in the end. What a strike that was from Gabriele Allezi. The Milan substitute in the first place to create the problem for Liverpool. Running behind now by the full-back and across into the centre. And Rossi on the end of it. Unable to hit the target. It's a familiar story for Milan. Good run by Botzeland. Pulled away from his markers really well, Leonardo. Well Milan's early season struggles continue. The same outcome as the weekend against Torino when they were beaten by a goal to nil. A goal just nine minutes in from Max Waltman. Enough to set Liverpool onto the UEFA Youth League road with a winning start. But goodness me, they were made to work for it. Harvey Davies particularly busy in the Liverpool goal in the second half. But Milan will be rewing a succession of missed chances in both the first and second halves of the game. In particular, Al-Hilali with three or four really good opportunities which he failed to take. But all in all, it was a decent performance from Milan. It just didn't have the finishing touches. It got tougher and tougher as the game went on for Liverpool. But they dug in and they managed to get themselves across the line in the end. Waltman's goal proving to be enough for Mark Bridge-Wilkinson's team.