Match Overview
AC Milan endured a difficult start to their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League campaign on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, falling 2-0 to Benfica at the Stadio San Siro. The defeat leaves Milan coach Ruben Amorim facing scrutiny over his tactical decisions early in the season. For the visiting Portuguese side, the victory was historic, as they had never previously defeated the Rossoneri, having recorded four losses and two draws in their prior competitive encounters, which famously included the 1963 and 1990 European Cup Finals.
Key Match Events
- Goal: Dodi Lukebakio (16th minute) opened the scoring for Benfica.
- Goal: Kaminski (54th minute) extended the lead to 2-0.
Benfica entered the fixture riding a seven-match winning streak, yet coach Ruben Amorim opted to rotate nine of his starting players with a high-stakes league match against FC Porto looming on Sunday. Despite the changes, the visitors looked sharp early on. Dodi Lukebakio initially saw an effort saved by Mike Maignan before finding the net shortly after with a nearly identical attacking movement.
Milan struggled to establish rhythm throughout the contest. As early as the 24th minute, Benfica nearly doubled their lead when Ardon Jashari misplaced a pass, allowing Georgiy Sudakov to drill a shot against the base of the far post. While Milan attempted a response, including a long-range strike from Filippo Terracciano that forced a flying save from Anatoliy Trubin, they remained unable to convert chances. Goncalo Ramos narrowly missed a connection on a dangerous cross from Bartesaghi, and Jashari later blasted an effort over the bar.
Tactical Adjustments and Second Half
Coach Amorim introduced Christian Pulisic and Mario Gila at halftime in an attempt to spark a comeback. However, Benfica maintained their defensive composure and tactical discipline. Shortly after the restart, Koni De Winter squandered a prime opportunity by miscuing a shot wide after promising play. Instead, the visitors capitalized at the other end when El Karouani pulled the ball back from the left flank, finding Kaminski, who fired into the net to make it 2-0.
In the final stages, Milan pushed for a consolation goal, but efforts from Yunus Musah, Pulisic, and Adrien Rabiot were unsuccessful. Trubin remained reliable, pushing a late snapshot from Pulisic around the post to preserve the clean sheet. The defeat continues a concerning statistical trend for Milan, who have struggled to find the back of the net outside of a narrow five-minute window (64th to 69th minute) in most matches this season.
Upcoming Match Context
While European action dominates the headlines, the football calendar remains packed with domestic fixtures across Europe. Key upcoming matches include The report also notes that but Amorim rotated giving Omari Hutchinson and Filippo Terracciano their first starts of the season, Davide Bartesaghi returning from injury, and a revamped midfield, the Rossoneri returned to Europe after back-to-back Serie A draws against Juventus and Lazio. The report also notes that see how it all unfolded on the Liveblog. The report also notes that ITALY – SEPTEMBER 16: AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between AC Milan and SL Benfica at Stadio San Siro on September 16, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images). The report also notes that cut inside chased by Bartesaghi and bent the left-foot finish into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area, he gathered down the right from Jakub Kaminski. The report also notes that as Ardon Jashari gave it away cheaply and Georgiy Sudakov drilled onto the base of the far post from the D, it was nearly 0-2 on 24 minutes.
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