September 14, (THEWILL) – AC Milan won their first match of the UEFA Champions League group stage this year, but their opponents, Dinamo Zagreb, made them work for it in a fixture the Italian champions won 3-1 at their San Siro home stadium.
Stefano Pioli’s team had a commanding advantage, thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Alexis Saelemaekers late in the first half and early in the second respectively.
Yet, they were made to sweat when Mislav Orsic, who scored the game-winning goal for Dinamo against Chelsea last week, brought his club within one goal once more just before the hour mark with a beautiful finish.
The hosts showed signs of fatigue in the final minutes of the game, but a substitute, Tommaso Pobega’s 77th-minute goal, clinched the victory for their first time win at home in Europe since they defeated Celtic in September 2013. Milan now leads Group E after that victory, with Chelsea and Salzburg about to begin play.
On the weekend before the final breaks for international duty, they play Victor Osimhen’s Napoli in Serie A. Meanwhile, the result means Dinamo’s six-match winning streak comes to an end, and their next opponent is NK Lokomotiva back in their domestic competition.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
