Olivier Giroud helped AC Milan produce one of the close football results of the midweek action in the Champions League. Milan came in southern Italy with a one-goal lead and thought they had blown their greatest chance to extend that lead when Giroud’s penalty effort was saved by Alex Meret shortly after the hour mark. However, Rafael Leao went on a wonderful solo run from the edge of his own box to the penalty area, before squaring to Giroud, who finished easily. Napoli, who had Victor Osimhen returned from injury in time for this game, also had a penalty saved as Mike Maignan denied Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with ten minutes remaining before Osimhen headed in a late consolation.
Milan will now focus on a potential semi-final versus city rivals Inter, who are 2-0 ahead of their home Champions League quarter-final second leg against Benfica on Wednesday night. At kickoff, a maelstrom of noise greeted the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and blue smoke filled the air as the game began. Napoli took advantage of the assistance to get out to a quick start. Maignan saved straightforward strikes from Kvaratskhelia and Piotr Zielinski, while Matteo Politano saw two near-post efforts flash wide of the AC Milan goal.
Stefano Pioli’s side was given a wonderful chance to score their first goal of the night when Leao fell down under Mario Rui’s poor charge to win a penalty. Meret correctly predicted that Giroud would make more commotion among Napoli supporters. Then, in the space of two minutes, Rui and Politano were forced off with knocks, forcing Hirving Lozano and Mathias Olivera to come on for Luciano Spaletti’s side. Milan nearly capitalized on the change when Giroud saw a close-range attempt saved by Meret – but the Napoli custodian would not be denied just minutes before halftime.
Tanguy Ndombele’s weak touch near the edge of his own area was scooped up by Leao, who beat three flying Milan challenges en route to the penalty area. The Portuguese international then had the foresight to square to Giroud, who couldn’t afford to pass up the opportunity. Napoli’s Osimhen nearly had an immediate reaction to the ‘Giroud Show’ when he hammered in from close range in first-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out for a handball in the build-up by the Serie A top scorer.
After the interval, the hosts came out with a similar effort, as Kvaratskhelia blazed over two chances from the left in the first few minutes of the second half. Lozano, Olivera, and Amir Rrahmani all had strong chances to pull one back in a second period in which Napoli dominated but failed to land a blow on a superb Milan defense.
At 82 minutes, Napoli thought they were ready to enter the game when Elfir Elmas’ cross hit Fikayo Tomori on the hand and the referee signaled to the spot. In Napoli’s final wasted moment of the game, Kvaratskhelia’s spot-kick was expertly blocked by Maignan. To further irritate Napoli, Maignan saved Giacomo Raspadori from close range. Despite Osimhen’s goal two minutes from time, the league leaders now have only an unassailable Serie A title to contend about.
Milan reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2006/07, joining Juventus as the Italian team with the most appearances in this stage of the competition (seven). Olivier Giroud has five goals and two assists in the 2022/23 Champions League, a new personal best in the competition (6 in 2020/21 with Chelsea and in 2012/13 with Arsenal). Since May 2016 (Bayern-Atlético Madrid), the first Champions League game with at least two penalties has been Napoli-Milan.
Alex Meret became the first custodian since Jerzy Dudek stopped Andriy Shevchenko’s penalty in the 2005 final shootout to save a UEFA Champions League penalty against AC Milan. Olivier Giroud missed his first of six Champions League penalties tonight. Only Paolo Maldini (36y 333d) scored for AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages versus Liverpool in 2005 final. The last Milan player to miss a penalty and score in a Champions League match before Giroud was Andriy Shevchenko against Bayern Munich in March 2006.
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