NEWCASTLE marked their return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at AC Milan.
It was a backs-to-the-wall performance at the San Siro as Nick Pope’s heroics and dogged defending late on earned a crucial point.
The Italian side were left ruing a host of missed chances with Rafael Leao tripping over himself as he attempted a backheel.
Eddie Howe’s side did not have a shot on target but a draw is a huge step in their bid to escape a difficult Group F.
- Match result: AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Live stream: discovery+
- AC Milan team: Maignan, Theo, Thiaw, Tomori, Calabria, Krunic, Pobega, Loftus-Cheek, Chukwueze, Leao, Giroud
- Newcastle team: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Guimaraes, Longstaff, Tonali, Murphy, Gordon, Isak
PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Stay up to date with all the action from the San Siro…
That’s all from the San Siro
The Champions League is back, if not with a bang but with a showing of defensive determination.
Newcastle’s return has been a long-time coming, and this hard-earned goalless draw in Milan is the least that their travelling supporters deserved. They wouldn’t have it any other h’way.
Thanks for joining us, and goodnight.
Howe insists Newcastle can improve
Eddie Howe is adamant that his side can take the experience of being under the cosh at the San Siro for long periods into future Champions League games.
Speaking afterwards, the Newcastle head coach praised his players for their defensive capabilities when it mattered, and maintained there was plenty of encouragement to take into the rest of the competition.
We did not aim to defend so deep. Our defending was a bit loose, but around the game we defended the 18 yard box perfectly. We know we can grow and improve. We can be very positive about the next game.
Eddie Howe
Grateful eight: Toon thankful to Pope
There’s no doubting who was Newcastle’s man of the match at the San Siro.
Goalkeeper Nick Pope made a string of fine saves throughout to hit back at his recent critics.
Credit: @WhoScored Twitter
- .css-dr8sr7{padding:20px 15px;}.css-g9qqck{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-1tiy4vg{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:1;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;padding-top:2px;}.css-1ngsqwo{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1ngsqwo:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1aiajnh{-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;}.css-sughj9{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:28.008px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:0.5px 0px;}.css-sughj9::before{content:”;margin-bottom:-0.2245em;display:block;}.css-sughj9::after{content:”;margin-top:-0.2425em;display:block;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-lkp0su{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-1pp5s9{margin:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-1pp5s9:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-17x5lw{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;}.css-13krq0h{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-f1cwb0{margin:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-f1cwb0:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-k8qt9h{display:inline-block;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;width:100%;}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference){.css-k8qt9h{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:200ms,200ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-k8qt9h{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}.css-k8qt9h:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1z6bhn{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;height:88px;}.css-pw771{padding:2px 12px;max-height:75px;overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:2;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1px;}.css-1jpzisj{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;width:100%;max-height:88px;border-width:1px 1px 1px 0;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);}
Rossoneri rue missed opportunities
Despite their 25 attempts at goal, it’s been another frustrating evening for the AC Milan faithful.
Having seen their side hit for five by city rivals Inter at the weekend, they have now had to endure another goalless 90 minutes of Champions League football.
The Rossoneri have failed to score in their last three games in Europe’s stellar competition, a run of 352 minutes without a goal.
And it’s four Champions League fixtures without a victory too, their longest winless streak in the competition since seven games between December 2013 and November 2021.
Off the mark in Group F
Group F has been dubbed the group of death in this season’s Champions League, and so any away point must be seen as a positive.
Whether the Toon can remain in the top two ahead of matchday two depends on what happens in the French capital, where Paris Saint-Germain are about to take on Borussia Dortmund.
- PSG v Dortmund (8pm)
Credit: uefa.com Match stats from the San Siro
AC Milan’s 25 shots in this game is their highest in a single Champions League match without scoring since 27 against PSV Eindhoven in October 2005.
Full time – AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
Newcastle’s Champions League campaign begins with a hard-fought point away at AC Milan.
The Serie A giants were the better team throughout, but were unable to find either their composure in front of goal or a way past Nick Pope.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
90+5. Newcastle win the ball back in the final seconds and burst forward!
Almiron feeds Barnes, who lays back to Anderson. The substitute bides his time and then plays in Guimaraes, who strikes goalwards…
…with a shot that touches the fingertips of Sportiello and flies over!
What a smash and grab that would have been!
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
90+3. An absolutely brilliant tackle from Trippier stops Musah in his tracks along the touchline.
Somehow the Newcastle captain not only wins the ball back but keeps it in play too. Bravo!
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – Newcastle substitution
90+1. Eddie Howe makes his final change with Harvey Barnes on for Alexander Isak.
The Toon are on the verge of a well-earned draw.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – Krunic yellow card
90. Krunic reacts angrily to being fouled by Anderson, and becomes the latest AC Milan player to be yellow carded.
Meanwhile, the fourth official signals that there will be five minutes of additional time to be played.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
89. AC Milan continue to pass up opportunities.
Leao fluffs his shot (not for the first time tonight), Pulisic has an attempt blocked, and then Giroud thunders an effort straight at Pope.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
87. Isak gives up possession up twice in quick succession, and requires Burn to help him out with a thumping header clear.
The visitors have their own problems without their own players adding to them.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
85. Five minutes remain at the San Siro, and Newcastle have dropped back with ten men behind the ball.
AC Milan continue to work the ball, eventually playing Florenzi in on the right, but his cross is confidently claimed by Pope.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – Giroud yellow card
83. Now Olivier Giroud talks his way into Jose Maria Sanchez’s book.
The striker is unhappy at being penalised for a challenge on Longstaff and says a little too much to the referee.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – Musah yellow card
82. Bruno Guimaraes tempts Yunus Musah into a foul that not only earns the substitute a yellow card, but brings Newcastle a much-needed free-kick on halfway.
That was some good old English gamesmanship from the Brazilian playmaker.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – AC Milan substitution
80. The Rossoneri goalkeeper is unable to carry on so he will be replaced by Marco Sportiello.
How much of a blow will that be to Stefano Pioli’s charges?
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
78. All the action is inside the Newcastle penalty area at the moment, but in the other box Mike Maignan has gone down and appears in some discomfort.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
77. Florenzi has found some joy down the right since his introduction, and he floats in another dangerous cross towards the back post.
Between them, Botman and Trippier manage to snuff out Hernandez from adding the finishing touch.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
75. Milan are bombarding the Newcastle goal once again.
A vital interception from Almiron is required to take the ball away from Hernandez inside the penalty, and then the resulting corner causes chaos.
Amid the mayhem, Pulisic and Hernandez both have fierce shots blocked by Trippier and Longstaff respectively.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
74. Leao flashes a header over the crossbar!
Pulisic whips in the best chance off the half right on to the forehead of the Portuguese forward, who is unable to keep it down and underneath Nick Pope’s crossbar.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – Newcastle substitution
72. And here’s another youngster, Newcastle’s Elliot Anderson.
The midfielder is on for Sandro Tonali, who departs the pitch to a standing ovation from all inside the San Siro.
From the AC Milan fans, it’s a thank you for all he has done. From the Newcastle supporters, it will be as an appreciation for what’s still to come.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle – AC Milan substitution
71. Unsurprisingly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is unable to continue.
On in his place is young Yunus Musah.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
69. Loftus-Cheek has pulled up holding his hamstring, and it interrupts an AC Milan counter attack.
Hernandez spots the former Chelsea player unmarked as he burst through the middle and goes to play him the ball until noticing his injury.
In the confusion, the defender loses possession.
AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle
67. Reijnders has floated into good positions on two occasions since his arrival, but his performance on the ball both time has left plenty to be desired.
Having struck a weak shot at Pope moments ago, he now wastes a cross with options available.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
