UNDER 16: A DEFEAT FROM WHICH TO GO AGAIN

AC Milan U16 suffered their first loss of the season in the league, and it was in no other fixture than the derby. Our 2007s were beaten 3-1 at the PUMA House of Football last Saturday, though the scoreline doesn't reflect just how tight a contest it was. The Rossoneri went into matchday 7 with a perfect record and an eight-point lead over their local rivals, who are still lagging behind our boys in spite of last weekend's result.

Coach Baldo appeared calm after the game: "We got back into it straight away after the break and we were aggressive in their half of the pitch but the penalty to make it 3-1 ruined it. It's a shame to have played the way we did in the first half; we were always second to the ball. We were much better after half time and I saw the team that I know."

The team can only rebuild from this defeat and there's a lesson to be learned: "Maybe we needed humbling," Baldo continued. "I have warned the boys; I hope that this game can serve as motivation over the coming weeks." Liberali's goal (his eighth of the season, including one with the U17) wasn't enough to kickstart a comeback after going into half time two goals down.   

Don't let the defeat discolour the positives of the performance, however, as the boys reacted well whenever they conceded. They played positive football and created plenty of chances, denied by the post and - on numerous occasions - the opposition goalkeeper. The Rossoneri are still top of their group, two points ahead of Atalanta and five ahead of Inter. Our 2007s are back in action on Sunday 27 November when they travel to Udinese, hoping to put this derby defeat well behind them and get back to winning ways.

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