2022 FINISHES WITH A DEFEAT IN EINDHOVEN

2022 has finished with a defeat: in Eindhoven, PSV ran out 3-0 winners thanks to Madueke’s brace and a goal from Til. The Dutch side were livelier at the Philips Stadion, playing at a high tempo and causing the Rossoneri problems from the start of the match. This evening’s game, which took place on the back of a busy training schedule, was the final fixture of a series of friendlies that AC Milan have been involved in ahead of their return to Serie A action in Salerno on 4 January. Today’s game showed that there’s still room for improvement physically, but the team will only get better in this regard as they continue to play.

Despite a below-par display from the whole team, there were chances for Rebić at the end of the first half and Leão and Vranckx during the closing stages. Coach Pioli’s men now need to draw the necessary conclusions from the match and go again with the right attitude in the next few days. The Rossoneri will return to training on Sunday 1 January with their upcoming match against Salernitana in mind. An intense month awaits, and there’s all to play for in 2023.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM PSV v AC MILAN

HOW IT UNFOLDED
The Diavolo struggled in the first half, making several mistakes and failing to sufficiently deal with the Dutch side’s high tempo. The hosts took the lead in the eighth minute through Til, who headed home Max’s cross. PSV then doubled their advantage on the 21-minute mark as Madueke’s left-footed near-post effort got the better of Mirante. The Rossoneri first threatened after the half-hour mark as Adli won the ball back and found Ante Rebić, whose shot from the edge of the box flew wide (32’). Two minutes later, another Rebić attempt was saved by Benítez after a burst forward from Saelemaekers. Dest also had a go at the end of the half, but the PSV goalkeeper made another comfortable stop.

At the start of the second half, with the Rossoneri trying to get back into it, Madueke bagged his second and his team’s third of the night, cutting in from the right and finding the far bottom corner this time. AC Milan looked to respond through the combination of Saelemaekers and Lazetić, but the latter couldn’t quite add the finishing touch. Midway through the half, Coach Pioli made ten changes and the Rossoneri started playing higher up the pitch. Pobega and Díaz threatened, with the latter unable to convert Rafa’s powerful cross. There was also a big opportunity for Vranckx, who struck his shot well and forced Benítez into a fine stop. After one minute of added time, the Diavolo’s final test before the Serie A restart ended in a 3-0 defeat.

MATCH DETAILS

PSV 3-0 AC MILAN

PSV (4-3-3): Benítez; Teze (71' Hoever), Obispo, Ramalho (85' Oppegård), Max (67' Mwene); Sangaré (78' Ledezma), Veerman (71' Gutiérrez), Til (58' Simons); El Ghazi (71' Saibari), Vertessen (58' de Jong), Madueke (78' Fofana). Subs: Drommel, Waterman. Coach: van Nistelrooy. 

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Mirante (67' Tătăruşanu); Calabria (67' Thiaw), Kalulu (67' Kjær), Tomori (67' Gabbia), Dest (67' Ballo-Touré) (96' Bozzolan); Bennacer (67' Bakayoko), Tonali (67' Pobega); Saelemaekers (67' Díaz), De Ketelaere (67' Vranckx), Adli (67' Leão); Rebić (46' Lazetić). Subs: Nava; Foglio; Mangiameli. Coach: Pioli. 

Referee: Allard Lindhout (NED).
Goals: 8' Til (P), 21' Madueke (P), 56' Madueke (P).

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