ACISCRANKED ASUTDFREEZE
MAN UTD .... 1 AC MILAN .... 1
LAST-GASP Kjaer is hailed by Milan team-mates after goal
ALAN MARSHALL AT OLD TRAFFORD
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER admits his side were left deflated by Simon Kjaer’s stoppage-time header as AC Milan set-up a thrilling second leg in Italy.
The eagerly-anticipated last-16 clash between the European heavyweights didn’t disappoint and set up an interesting clash at the San Siro next week.
Half-time sub Amad Diallo’s superb, improvised header looked to have secured a hard-fought first-leg win, only for Kjaer’s last-gasp header to seal Milan a deserved draw.
In truth, Solskjaer’s side would have been fortunate to be going to Italy in the lead given how the absentee-hit Rossoneri outplayed the hosts for large periods.
Solskjaer said: “We’re very disappointed to concede with one of the last kicks – or headers.
“It makes it harder of course but it was always going to the second game. We lost our structure and we should have attacked the ball with the men we had there.
“We were a long way off the performance against City but possession-wise it was about 50-50, we were just a bit too slow.
“It’s hard coming off the back of the game we had but it’s part of the learning that we have to do.”
Milan deserved this result and were impressive despite missing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ante Rebic and Theo Hernandez.
United were second best during the early action but then failed to go into the break ahead as Harry Maguire met a flicked-on corner with a shinned effort that hit the post.
Diallo did better when heading in from Bruno Fernandes’ quick delivery but Milan secured a crucial goal when Kjaer capitalised on United’s inability to defend set-pieces.
Milan boss Stefano Pioli said: “When I see the boys give their soul, it’s right to be satisfied. We’re happy but we can do more.”
A YEAR ago tonight, 47,494 fans piled through the gates of Ibrox to see Rangers take on Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Europa League.
None of them have been back. In fact, other than a few sparsely attended test events, no football fan has clicked a turnstile in the 12 months since as the pandemic has left us locked down and locked out of the game we love.
David Ashmead took his usual seat in the Copland Road end on March 12, 2020. And while he left Ibrox disappointed at the 3-1 scoreline in favour of the Germans, he didn’t believe for a minute an entire year would pass without seeing his team other than through a TV camera lens.
What a season he’s missed – an unbeaten league run that led to the title, welded on to another foray deep into the Europa League that saw Steven Gerrard’s men draw the first leg of their last-16 tie in Prague.
He said: “I should be there. I missed one European tie home and away last season – I’ve been in Portugal for so many games I could have bought a house there – and they’ve all been brilliant.
“I was having a laugh with my pals earlier. Can you imagine the state we’d have been in after the weekend? We’d have been at the game on Saturday and the scenes with the players at the end would have been fantastic.
“Missing out on seeing the team for a year has been hard to take but you find different ways to do things.”
He paid for Rangers season tickets for himself and 13-yearold son Alfie, a promising player in the Ayr youth system, in the knowledge they wouldn’t be setting foot inside Ibrox.
David has watched the club’s TV channel this year and he added: “I keep season tickets for Alfie and me, even though it was obvious we weren’t get back into Ibrox this season.
“But it’s important to put your money into the club to keep it ticking over.
“I’ve been watching loads of clubs through their pay-per-view streams – Ayr, Raith, Morton, Inverness and Dundee to name a few. Alfie plays with Ayr so in the last few seasons if Rangers were playing on Sunday, which has happened a lot due to
European games on a Thursday, we’d go to watch Ayr on the Saturday. If Ayr weren’t playing we’d go to watch Winton Rovers, Kilwinning or Irvine Meadow.
“I’d pick the likes of Inverness when Kai Kennedy was up there because he’s a young Rangers player on loan and it’s interesting to see his development. It was the same with Josh McPake when he was at Dundee.”
David doesn’t see fans being allowed back in huge numbers next term and admits the interaction between players and supporters on matchday is the only thing that virtual season tickets can replicate.
He said: “I took Alfie to Somerset Park for the Ayr v Rangers Scottish Cup tie a couple of years ago.
“It was James Tavernier’s first game as captain. At the end of the game, Tavernier came over to the fans and handed Alfie his shirt. A couple of weeks later we managed to get him to sign it and he had a chat with Alfie.
“Those are the moments we miss and worry that it won’t really change any time soon. But we’ve made the most of it. What else can you do when you love
the club and love the game?”