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AC Milan are through to the next round of the Champions League after knocking out fellow Serie A side Napoli.
Despite Osimhen's late equaliser, Mike Maignan's brilliance, a defensive masterclass from the AC Milan backline, and effective offensive transitions helped the Rossoneri draw 1-1 against Napoli on the night and 2-1 on aggregate.
Stefano Pioli's men came into the tie with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg at San Siro and needed to avoid a defeat at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Giroud gave them the lead in the second leg, and although Osimhen snatched a late equaliser, the goal from the first-leg was enough to see them through to the semi-final of the Champions League.
How it happened
To say the onus was on Napoli to dictate proceedings in this match is no exaggeration, as they lost the first-leg, and the second is to be played in their own backyard. A victory will send them into their first-ever UCL semi-final, but the absence of Kim Min-Jae and Zambia Anguissa was always going to be telling, and it was in this game.
The hosts did start effervescently, as expected, threatening Maignan's goal at intervals, but it was Milan who had the first big moment of the game when Rafael Leao was fouled in the box, but Olivier Giroud played the resultant penalty into the hands of David Meret.
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21:50 - 17.04.2023
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The Rossoneri’s attacking transitions have punished the Partenopei in recent games, and the side trailing will strive not to play into Milan’s hands again.
Napoli were dealt further blows in personnel in the 34th minute of the game whenever Luciano Spaletti had to sub out Mateo Politano and Mario Rui due to injury.
Milan always looked threatening on the counter, and their dangerous transitions finally bore fruit in the 43rd minute of the game when Leao carried the ball a considerable distance before squaring it to Giroud, who made up for his earlier miss by finishing past Meret.
The second-half had a similar feel to the first, with Napoli dominating but struggling to create anything concrete and the Rossoneri looking to break on counterattacks.
I Partenopei thought they finally got a breakthrough when the referee pointed to the spot following a Fikayo Tomori handball, but Mike Maignan won the battle of nerves against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, saving the Georgians' attempt.
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18:14 - 17.04.2023
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Osimhen makes history
With the clock winding down, all hope looked lost for the home side until their talisman Victor Osimhen showed why he was sorely missed in the first leg.
The Nigerian striker connected with a Giacomo Raspadori cross to head past the solid Maignan to grab a 93rd-minute equaliser.
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Osimhen's strike came a little too late to ignite a comeback, but his goal became the first ever for Napoli at that stage of the competition.
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