Milan surprises Barcelona in friendly

In a friendly match between Barcelona and Milan, held at the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles, the Italian team took the victory on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regular time.

The penalty shoot-out ended 4-3 in favour of the Milanese, leaving the Catalans without any reward after an intense match on the pitch.

The first half was a display of action and emotions that left the fans on the edge of their seats. From the opening whistle, both teams showed their intention to impose their game, and the scoreboard quickly changed on three occasions.

Milan were the first to open the scoring, thanks to an impeccable assist from Christian Pulisic, who looked very comfortable from the start. Pulisic set up Serbian striker Luka Jovic, who did not waste the opportunity and scored 1-0 for the Italians.

Milan’s dominance didn’t stop there. Just five minutes after the opening goal, Pulisic found the perfect moment to shine and, after a brilliant assist from Rafael Leao, the American doubled Milan’s lead with a goal that left the Barcelona defence flummoxed. With the score at 2-0, the Italians seemed to have complete control of the match.

However, Barcelona were quick to respond. Needing to close the gap, Barça’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski capitalised on a goal-scoring opportunity seven minutes after Milan’s second goal. Lewandowski connected accurately with a pass inside the area to make it 2-1 and keep the Spanish side’s hopes of equalising alive.

In the second half, Barcelona looked to level the score and find the equaliser. Barça’s pressure paid off when, once again, Lewandowski emerged as the team’s hero by converting a superb cross into his second goal of the night. The Pole’s double made it 2-2 and put the match in an exciting balance.

Despite the opportunities created by both teams in the remaining time, the score did not change any further. The match reached the end of regulation time with a 2-2 draw, which led to the decision going to a penalty shoot-out, where pressure and precision would be crucial.

In the penalty shoot-out, Milan showed composure and precision, eventually winning 4-3. The Milanese players did not fail under pressure, while the Blaugranas failed to get past the opposing goalkeeper on more than one occasion.—RECORD