Liverpool Fall to AC Milan in Hong Kong Thriller
So, Liverpool faced off against AC Milan in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, and let’s just say—it was not the result the Reds would’ve hoped for. The match ended in a 4-2 loss for Liverpool at the Kai Tak Stadium, and while it was a friendly, there were definitely moments that’ll stick in the minds of fans and the coaching staff alike.
The night started with some emotion, as Liverpool players paid tribute to Diogo Jota and André Silva. Black armbands were worn, and the stadium crowd even formed a moving mosaic reading “DJ 20,” with Sir Kenny Dalglish laying a wreath by the supporters. A touching start to what turned into a very eventful evening.
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Once the match kicked off, Milan struck early. Just ten minutes in, Rafael Leão capitalized on a quick break down the left and fired a rocket into the roof of the net, catching Liverpool a bit off guard. But the Reds answered back with a moment of real class—Dominik Szoboszlai picked up a pass from Rio Ngumoha and curled a beautiful shot past Mike Maignan to level it up before the half.
After the break, Liverpool looked lively again. Cody Gakpo nearly made an impact right away with a strike that just sailed over. But then came the seven-minute stretch that turned the tide completely in Milan’s favor. Leão broke free again and set up Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who calmly slotted it home. Not long after, Alexis Saelemaekers squared for Noah Okafor, who smashed in Milan’s third. At that point, Liverpool were chasing shadows.
There were bright spots—Jeremie Frimpong looked dangerous and almost clawed one back, and Tyler Morton had a crack that just didn’t find the mark. As stoppage time approached, Gakpo did manage to pull one back with a quality header from Ibrahima Konaté’s lofted ball. But any hopes of a dramatic comeback were dashed almost instantly. A mix-up at the back handed Okafor a tap-in for Milan’s fourth, sealing the win.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Liverpool though. This match was more about preparation and testing combinations—especially with new signings like Florian Wirtz and Frimpong integrating into the squad. The Kai Tak crowd, all 49,704 of them, certainly got their money’s worth.
Now, the team heads to Japan where they’ll face Yokohama F. Marinos next. It’s still early days under Arne Slot, and while this loss stings a little, the preseason is all about learning. And clearly, there are lessons to be taken from this one.
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