HAUGE'S GOAL SECURES WIN IN PRAGUE AND TOP SPOT IN GROUP H

The side comes back from Prague with full points. An experimental Rossoneri side was able to beat Sparta 1-0 and secure top spot in Group H, also benefiting from Lille’s 3-2 away defeat at Celtic Park. Hauge scored the winner in the 23rd minute with a strike that was very similar to his gem of a goal against Celtic at San Siro. It was his fourth goal of the campaign and his third in the Europa League. It was a night of debuts and returns with the team featuring four starters born in 2000 but Milan were able to keep winning. Of particular note was the excellent performance from Pierre Kalulu at the heart of defence during his full professional and Rossoneri debut. Léo Duarte was back in the starting line-up for the first time in over a year (his last start was against Juventus in Serie A on 10/11/2019) and Andrea Conti was also back starting for the first time since facing Sassuolo in July. The youngsters Daniel Maldini and Lorenzo Colombo stepped up for the occasion as did Ciprian Tătăruşanu in goal. Stefano Pioli can smile after a convincing and important win on the final matchday in the group stages to secure top spot. Well done Rossoneri, it’s now time to keep it up for the return of league action and the visit of Parma to San Siro at 20:45 CET on Sunday. 

SEE: THE GALLERY FROM SPARTA - AC MILAN

THE REPORT

The young Milan side started without fear and immediately went close through Dalot in the third minute after he controlled a Castillejo cross before forcing Heča into making a save with his feet. Sparta looked dangerous with Polidor’s shot in the area but then Milan went back on top before opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. Hauge received a pass from Dalot, nutmegged Wiesner before placing the ball into the far bottom corner to make it 0-1 in what was almost a carbon copy of the goal to make it 3-2 against Celtic last week. The Rossoneri continued to play well an went close in the 41st minute through Castillejo who won out in two challenges before his shot was saved by Heča. 

The second half began with the same kind of shot from Hauge but this time around, it was too central to find the net. Sparta had a chance in the 57th minute through Krejčí whose close-range shot was smothered by Tătăruşanu as he came off his line. On the break, Castillejo again kept Heča busy with a shot that couldn’t find the corner. The hosts made two changes in attack and stepped up the pressure. In the 66th minute, Moberg-Karlsson fired wide with a right-foot strike. Sparta went down to ten men in the 77th minute after Plechatý was shown a straight red for his sliding tackle from behind on Leão who was looking to counterattack soon after coming on. The Rossoneri squandered a few more chances on the break through Hauge and Krunić before Tătăruşanu was called into action in the final moments to deny Moberg-Karlsson who had managed to get in behind. Milan left Prague with the three points that secured top spot in Group H. 

MATCH DETAILS

SPARTA PRAHA 0-1 AC MILAN

SPARTA PRAHA (3-5-2): Heča; Vitík, Plechatý, Lischka; Wiesner, Sáček (82' L. Krejčí), Souček, Karabec (45' Krejčí), Polidar; Minchev (65' Moberg-Karlsson), Plavšić (65' Juliš). Subs.: Niță, Holec; Hanousek, Vindheim, Trávník, Gabriel, Ryneš. Coach: Kotal.

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Tătăruşanu; Conti, Duarte, Kalulu, Dalot; Krunić, Tonali; Castillejo, Maldini (78' Kessie), Hauge (91' Díaz); Colombo (67' Leão). Subs: A. Donnarumma, Moleri; Calabria, Gabbia, Hernández, Musacchio; Mionić; Rebić. Coach: Pioli.

Referee: Siebert (GER).
Goal: 23' Hauge (M).
Booked: 15' Sáček (M), 35' Krunić (M), 44' Polidar (S), 49' Maldini (M), 77'st Heča (S), 85' Castillejo (M).
Sent off: 77' Plechatý (S).

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