In the second match of the Champions League Group Stage, Milan fought its way to victory against a strong Dinamo Zagreb side. While the visitors looked like the better team for much of the match, the Rossoneri had several strong individual performances carry them to victory. In particular, Alexis Saelemaekers and Rafael Leao were in top form, combining for a crucial go-ahead goal in the second half.
2 in 2 in the group stage ⚽⚽
It's Saelemaekers SZN in the #UCL ✌️#ACMGKND #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/QWfrBgBNJu
— AC Milan (@acmilan) September 14, 2022
Mike Maignan – 6.5
Despite Zagreb’s offensive creativity, they were unable to challenge Maignan more than a few times, and the goalkeeper distributed the ball exceptionally well.
Davide Calabria – 6.5
Against the in-form Mislav Orsic, Calabria had quite a day. Orsic was one of the few Zagreb players who seemed capable of breaking through the Milan defense, and Calabria did well to restrict the striker’s space and limit his chances.
Pierre Kalulu – 7
Alongside Calabria, the centre-back played quite well against Orsic and took an active role in Milan’s possession of the ball.
Fikayo Tomori – 7
Like Kalulu, Tomori was quietly solid during the match. The pair’s compact positioning forced Zagreb away from the centre of the pitch, rerouting the ball to less dangerous areas.
Theo Hernandez – 8
Hernandez put on a show for the fans, distributing the ball well and dominating in the defensive third. In the second half, he played a wonderful back-pass to Tommaso Pobega in the box, and the midfielder hammered it home to confirm the result.
Sandro Tonali – 5.5
Despite seeing a lot of the ball, Tonali was not as influential as usual. His distribution was solid, but not spectacular, as he lacked the incisive through-ball he usually brings to the table. In the second half, he was taken off early in favor of Pobega.
Ismael Bennacer – 8
As usual, Bennacer turned in a top notch performance. He helped switch the field often, especially as the Zagreb low block frustrated Milan’s efforts on the right wing.
Rafael Leao – 8
Needing to make up for his sending off against Sampdoria, Leao was by far Milan’s most creative player. He made several runs in the left channel and sent in a wonderful cross to Saelemaekers for Milan’s second goal.
Brahim Diaz – 7
Brahim turned in his best performance of the season, finding ample time and space in the midfield. In the first half, he made an impressive tackle in the defensive third before firing a beautiful ball over the top of the Zagreb defense, creating a one-on-one for Leao against the goalkeeper.
Alexis Saelemaekers – 8
After a slow start in the first half, Saelemaekers’ form greatly improved. He fought hard on the right wing against Robert Ljubicic, and he showed remarkable chemistry with Brahim. In the second half, he got his head on a cross from Leao, doubling the Milan score.
Olivier Giroud – 6
The striker was poor in front of goal during open play and struggled to influence the match. However, he converted an important first-half penalty that allowed Milan to take the lead.
Substitutes
Charles De Ketelaere – 5
De Ketelaere replaced Giroud with 25 minutes remaining and seemed uncomfortable playing in the unfamiliar number nine position.
Tommaso Pobega – 7.5
Minutes after entering the match, Pobega fired home a rocket of a shot, confirming the victory for the hosts.