AC Milan gets small victory over Napoli

AC Milan and Napoli clashed in an intense Champions League quarter-final match that ended with a 1-0 victory for AC Milan. The match was filled with action, drama, and several yellow cards.

Attacking start

Napoli had their chances to open the score, with Piotr Zieliński taking a long-range shot in the 12th minute, but AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was alert and made a comfortable save. Rafael Leão also had a brilliant individual attempt for AC Milan in the 25th minute, but his shot narrowly missed the right post. It was Bennacer who opened the score for AC Milan in the 40th minute.

Drama

The first half ended with AC Milan leading 1-0, but not without some drama. In the 38th minute, Piotr Zieliński of Napoli received a yellow card from referee Istvan Kovacs for a challenge on an opponent. The tension continued to rise, and in the 44th minute, referee Kovacs had a conversation with AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli, who was then shown a yellow card.

Second half

The second half saw both teams pushing for goals, but the defenses held strong. As the match progressed, Napoli's frustration grew, and in the 69th minute, Andre Zambo Anguissa received a yellow card from referee Kovacs for a reckless challenge. However, just five minutes later, Anguissa received his second yellow card and was shown a red card, leaving Napoli with 10 men on the pitch.

Substitutions

AC Milan also made substitutions to consolidate their lead, with Alexis Saelemaekers coming on for Ismael Bennacer in the 67th minute, and Ante Rebić replacing Brahim Diaz in the 80th minute. Napoli also made changes, bringing in Mathias Olivera for Mario Rui, and Matteo Politano for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Tanguy Ndombele for Piotr Zieliński, but they couldn't find the breakthrough.

Final score

The match ended with AC Milan securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Napoli. However, in the closing moments of the game, tempers flared, and there were yellow cards shown to Giovanni Di Lorenzo of Napoli in the 70th minute for protest, and Davide Calabria of AC Milan in the 90+6th minute for unsporting behavior after the final whistle.

Overall, it was an enthralling match with AC Milan coming out on top. But there is still all to play for in the second match. The winner of this tie will face most likely Inter Milan in an attempt to get through to the Champions League final.