2024-07-28 16:20:02
Lorenzo Colombo scored twice as AC Milan edged Premier League champions Manchester City 3-2 in a preseason friendly at Yankee Stadium in New York City on Saturday.
It is the second high-scoring defeat for Pep Guardiola’s side on their U.S. tour following a 4-3 reversal against Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Tuesday.
Erling Haaland had given City, playing in the home stadium of fellow City Football Group club New York City FC, an early lead with a low finish from an Oscar Bobb cut back after 19 minutes.
But Italy under-21 forward Colombo scored twice in four minutes off a pair of Samuel Chukwueze crosses around the half-hour mark to put the Italian side in the ascendency.
Young City midfielder James McAtee levelled the score once more after getting on the end of a cross from young City substitute Micah Hamilton in the 55th minute. Yet with the game looking as if it was heading for a penalty shootout, Marco Nasti, not long after coming on to replace Colombo, secured victory for Milan with 12 minutes of the 90 remaining.
Milan also brought on U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic for his first appearance since his country’s Copa América exit, to warm applause from the Yankee Stadium crowd.
City were again without star names including Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Kyle Walker following their exploits at Euro 2024, while Julián Álvarez remains with Argentina at the Olympics.
Guardiola, who said Friday that he could yet sign a new contract to stay at the club beyond 2025, will now prepare City to face his former team Barcelona in Orlando on Tuesday.
AC Milan, meanwhile, will face another Spanish giant, Real Madrid at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Wednesday.
