In a disappointing night for Liverpool, the Reds fell 4-2 to AC Milan in a pre-season friendly match on Wednesday in Hong Kong. The Reds’ failure to track back hurt them defensively, leading to three counter-attack enabled goals that were decisive in the match. Even though they produced some brilliant play, capped by a spectacular long-range equalizer by Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s overall lack of defending would prove to be their killer.
The game developed into a fascinating battle at the Hong Kong Stadium. Liverpool flashed an incredible starting XI across fans’ screens, including global icons like Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, and new signing Mohamed Salah. The team aimed to gain momentum heading into the upcoming season but instead faced challenges that highlighted areas needing improvement.
Troubling Defensive Errors
AC Milan took full advantage of Liverpool’s backline weaknesses, targeting holes in the defense that resulted in important goals. Alexis Saelemaekers, left, was instrumental in the opening goal. He burst through a swath of Liverpool’s defenders to lay the ball off for Noah Okafor to hammer a precise shot home.
A complete disaster as there was a misunderstanding between keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Kostas Tsimikas. This mistake gifted Olivier Giroud a clear opportunity to score, bringing into focus Liverpool’s recent need for more communication and coordination in defense.
Rafael Leao celebrating his match opening goal for AC Milan in the first half. He dedicated his goal to Diogo Jota, the Liverpool FC player who died in a car crash earlier this month. The tribute touched the hearts of all fans, as they reminisced about Jota’s impact on the club and its history.
“This goal is for you, Diogo,” – Rafael Leao
Liverpool’s Moments of Brilliance
Even with the hawkish start, Liverpool found their rhythm and proved their grit on the field. In the 16th minute, Dominik Szoboszlai canceled Milan’s lead with an incredible long-distance strike that had you immediately questioning Maignan’s chances of stopping it. Scoring such an ambitious and transformative goal ignited optimism among Liverpool’s proponents that their beloved squad might do the same.
Young talent Rio Ngumoha was an impressive, versatile performer on the day. His energy and creativity always challenged AC Milan’s backline, never allowing them a moment of respite. Being only 16 years old, Ngumoha’s performance was truly exceptional and turned the heads of many.
“He’s fearless. I think he showed that today against AC Milan, one of Europe’s big teams. He just looked like a kid in the park,” – Harvey Elliott
From that point on in the first half, it was clear that Liverpool just had to shore up defensively while continuing their attack. Substitute Cody Gakpo scored an impressive late header deep into stoppage time to seal it. His score provided a flash of hope, but in the end, too little, too late as their clock ran out.
Looking Ahead
Liverpool will need to pick themselves up as they look towards their next pre-season outing against Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan on Wednesday. The entire team will need to take their defensive shortcomings personally. While managing minutes and matchup, their other goal should be creating chemistry with new signings and the kids.
Joe Gomez was unavailable for the match against Ukraine due to an Achilles problem. He has recently returned to England to continue treatment. His influence would have brought some composure to Liverpool’s backline during this frenetic affair.
Before kick-off, club hero Kenny Dalglish took a moment to pay his respects by placing a wreath. With this emotional tribute, he paid tribute to Diogo Jota’s legacy on the team. Supporters further honored their friend with an incredible ‘DJ20’ mosaic held up behind the goal, a powerful tribute to their lost brother.
As Liverpool reflects on this defeat, Manager Arne Slot emphasized the importance of improvement moving forward:
“So, if you do the same as we did last year we will probably not be able to win it again. So, we have to improve – the players that are still here and we’ve tried to bring new energy in but also ‘weapons’,” – Arne Slot
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