Samuel Chukwueze’s second-half appearance could not prevent Milan’s defeat in Zagreb, as the Rossoneri were hampered by Yunus Musah’s red card, which cost them automatic qualification.
Despite coming off the bench for AC Milan at half-time against Dinamo Zagreb in Tuesday’s Champions League action, Samuel Chukwueze’s appearance could not prevent the Rossoneri from getting the desired result at Stadion Maksimir.
Sergio Conceicao’s men needed to win to retain their place in the top eight of the inaugural Champions League league phase, while Dinamo could sneak into the playoff spot as one of the unseeded sides by ending a six-match losing run against the Milan outfit, who entered the encounter on a six-match sequence of victories in Europe’s premier club competition.
As it happened
After 19 minutes passed with little separating the sides, a Matteo Gabbia slip allowed Martin Baturina to steal the ball off the defender and put the home side ahead after showing composure to slot the ball past Mike Maignan in the Italian side’s goal.
Baturina’s second Champions League goal gave the home side much-needed confidence to play, and a frustrated Milan got three yellow cards in 13 minutes, with Christian Pulisic and Maignan’s bookings bookending Yunus Musah’s yellows, the latter of whom saw Conceicao’s men reduced to 10 men.
Musah had been booked for dissent in the 31st minute, and the USMNT midfield man received his second after fouling Luka Stojkovic on the edge of the away side’s penalty area.
Yunus Musah was dismissed in AC Milan’s Champions League loss at Dinamo Zagreb (Credit: Imago)
Conceicao rang the changes at half-time, with Chukwueze replacing Alvaro Morata and Filippo Terracciano coming on for Gabbia, as the Serie A side attempted to secure a positive result in challenging circumstances.
Chukwueze had an attempt blocked three minutes after coming on, and Dinamo had what they thought was a second ruled out for a handball in the lead-up to the strike.
However, Pulisic got the Italian side back level in the 53rd minute after shooting into the bottom right corner after an assist from Fikayo Tomori to temporarily send Milan seventh and Dinamo out of the playoff places in 26th place.
That joy was, however, short-lived for the Serie A side as Marko Pjaca put the hosts back in front on the hour mark after taking a touch to settle after Ronael Pierre-Gabriel’s low cross before drilling a shot past Maignan to send Dinamo back into the playoff spots.
Rafael Leao thought he won a penalty three minutes after that disappointment for the Rossoneri, only for the referee Francois Letexier to overturn the award of a spot-kick after consulting the pitch-side monitor.
Although it stayed that way for the remainder of the match, Chukwueze nearly equalised for the away side in the final 10 minutes but the Nigerian had his header saved by Ivan Nevistic.
Milan ended the league phase in 13th on 15 points, one adrift of Aston Villa on 16, while Dinamo ultimately missed out on finishing in the top 24 on goal difference.
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