LEVERKUSEN (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – Milan woke up too late and was defeated 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen, despite a good second half. Deciding the match, which condemned the Rossoneri to their second European knockout in a row, was a Boniface goal early in the second half. The first breakthrough came from the reigning German champions, when the Nigerian striker unleashed his right-footed shot from a good position finding Maignan ready to clear, with Emerson Royal sweeping in for a corner. From the crossbar comes a cross in the middle of the area on which Tah stands out and again engages the opposing goalkeeper, who is forced to save on the dive. The hosts play better and take the lead at 21′ with Boniface, but the referee cancels for offside after the initial validation. The two teams go to rest at 0-0. Xabi Alonso’s men make themselves dangerous as early as 3′ into the second half, when a mistake in construction by the guests lead Wirtz to a right-footed shot but Maignan is again alert and saves in the dive. It is the prelude to the lead that will come at 6′. Grimaldo cuts to the center from Garcia and serves Frimpong with a heel, who goes for the shot finding Maignan ready to parry but who can do nothing on Boniface’s tap-in from two steps. Fonseca’s team tried to respond in the 11th minute, when Reijnders was unmarked in the box by Pulisic and went for a left-footed shot, but Hradecky pushed it away with an open hand. In the 20th minute, it is Fofana who tries from a deflected position with his right, but Hradecky pushes back again on the dive. Eight minutes later, the Finnish goalkeeper comes close to making a fool of himself when he belatedly clears possession just short of the goal line, with newcomer Morata sliding in and touching the ball that splashes over the crossbar. On the half-hour mark, the Germans squandered a possible 2-0 counterattack with Frimpong, who shot on the outside of the net thwarting an assist from Adli. The biggest chance of the match for the guests comes at 37′. Hernandez kicked from the distance and hit the crossbar after a deflection, with the ball ending up in Morata’s area, who, however, shot wide of the goal almost empty. At 42′, Hradecky still has to get his hands on a Loftus-Cheek right-footer at the end of a scrum. Milan’s onslaught did not bring the desired results and the score would not change again. For Hernandez and his teammates thus comes the second Champions League defeat in a row, while Bayer Leverkusen rises to 6 points in the standings.- Photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
