Salzburg fights for a draw against Milan at the start of the Champions League
Red Bull Salzburg started the new Champions League season with a 1-1 draw against Italian champions AC Milan.
Salzburg grabs a point against Milan.
GEPA images
For a strong performance against a top European team Salzburg rewarded with a point on Tuesday. At the start of the Champions League, the “Bulls” beat the Italian champions at home AC Milan a 1:1 (1:1) and can approach the next task in the coming week with a lot of self-confidence. Then on Wednesday there is an away duel at English giants Chelsea, who are already under pressure after a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.
CL Group Stage – Matchday 1
Noah Okafor (28th) gave Matthias Jaissle’s team the lead in front of a full house (29.520), Alexis Saelemaekers (40th) ensured the final result in the Group E match before the break. Thanks to a courageous performance, the home side had the better chances overall and should probably cry a little for the win. They lost Maximilian Wöber shortly before kick-off and Oumar Solet just before the break – and with them both regular central defenders.
Salzburg with a bold appearance
Due to Luka Sucic’s groin injury, Jaissle gave confidence to 18-year-old Dijon Kameri behind leaders Fernando and Noah Okafor. The ÖFB national team player who has not yet had a European Cup appearance for the “Bulls” and only three in the league and made his starting eleven debut last Saturday in a 2-0 win against WSG Tirol. Jaissle, on the other hand, had no choice when it came to Wöber, who also injured his groin during the warm-up and was replaced by new signing Strahinja Pavlovic.
But that doesn’t affect the field. Pavlovic misjudged a high ball in the 8th minute, but the otherwise inconspicuous Olivier Giroud shot too quickly, goalie Philipp Köhn was there. Although Milan was able to clearly have more possession of the ball and, as expected, repeatedly credited advances, the high Salzburg lower band died most of the actions successfully. Apart from the Giroud conclusion, a warped volley from captain David Calabria (7th) and Köhn’s intervention in a dangerous free-kick (18th) were worthwhile.
Salzburg showed their offensive virtues right after the start. Andreas Ulmer and Co., like von Jaissle, played extremely courageously, employed the Milan defense with a lot of speed and introduced themselves in the first minute with Köpfler (close) and Nicola Schusss Capaldos (far) next to Milan. Again and again they appeared in front, a blocked long-range shot by Maurits Kjaergaard (16th) and a deflected Fernando shot into the arms of Maignan (24th) were noteworthy. A good ten minutes later, the Brazilian didn’t give up on sixteen meters, conquered the ball and assisted Okafor. The Swiss central defender Pierre Kalulu felt dizzy and shot into the far corner – nicely with a “Gurkerl”.
But Milan remained unimpressed. After an “excursion” by Köhn, Solet saved against Rafael Leao (31′), shortly before the break the Portuguese, who had not been conspicuous until then and was in good hands with CL debutant Amar Dedic, then made his appearance: Milan released perfectly from the Salzburg pressing, Leao’s cross found the abandoned Saelemaekers in the center, who shot in easily.
Both teams with chances to win
The fact that Solet was also injured shortly before the break made the malaise in the defense center perfect (42nd), he had to be replaced by Bernardo. But that didn’t stand in the way of a good performance after the break. Fernando missed the apparently “100 percent” after a Kjaergaard cross from five meters (53rd), a little more than ten minutes later he also had to leave the field with a muscle injury.
While Milan was hardly compelling as a result – Pobega shot wide of the far corner (61st), Divock Origi headed next to it (76th) – Salzburg continued to score tirelessly for a possible victory. Nicolas Seiwald forced Maignan to save from more than 20 meters (62′), Sesko narrowly missed the finish from a similar distance (86′). In stoppage time, it was Origi who missed the ball in the penalty area, luckily for Salzburg (91′). The hosts were even luckier when the pole on Leao’s shot prevented Milanse from an undeserved victory (94′).