AC Milan vs Newcastle LIVE: Champions League result and final score as Nick Pope saves deny hosts

AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle: Eddie Howe’s side held the hosts to a goalless draw on their Champions League return

Delayed arrival in Milan ‘no big deal’, insists Newcastle boss Eddie Howe

Newcastle marked their return to the Champions League after a two-decade absence with a hard-fought 0-0 draw with AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday, as the Serie A club spurned numerous opportunities in the Group F opener.

Milan winger Rafael Leao kept the Newcastle defence busy throughout the contest and had his best opportunity in the 34th minute, but he miscued an elaborate backheel after skipping past two defenders.

He was also wasteful in the second half, firing a header over the bar after Alessandro Florenzi found him with an inch-perfect cross. The visitors’ attacking efforts were limited to counter-attacks and the English side recorded just one shot on target.

The draw could hurt both teams’ prospects in a challenging group, which features Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain and 1997 winners Borussia Dortmund.

AC Milan vs Newcastle live

• AC Milan draw with Newcastle in Champions League group stage opener
• Newcastle played their first Champions League campaign for 20 years
• 66’ CLOSE! - Reijinders finds Pope after a nice run into the box (MIL 0-0 NEW)
• 31’ SHOT! - Giroud misses the target from close range (MIL 0-0 NEW)
• 19’ CHANCE! - Hernandez’s header is tipped over the bar by Pope (MIL 0-0 NEW)
• 13’ SAVE! - A double stop from Nick Pope keeps things all square (MIL 0-0 NEW)

[19 September 2023 20:36 · Jamie Braidwood]

Newcastle earn Milan draw but ‘group of death’ will reveal its true value

Twenty years ago, Newcastle United went to the San Siro and came away with a draw. Two decades later and, in their first Champions League away match since, Eddie Howe’s side just about managed to hang on in order to repeat the feat. A goalless draw against AC Milan lacked the scoreline of that previous 2-2 against Inter in 2003, but given the dominance of the Italian side and the sheer amount of their chances the hosts wasted, this will go down as a valuable point on Newcastle’s long-awaited return to Europe’s top table.

Whether it is enough in a group that also contains Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund feels like a separate issue, and whether, in time, the Premier League side may regret not doing more to try and take three, but even asking that question is a sign of how much has changed in 20 years.

[19 September 2023 21:37 · Jamie Braidwood]

Eddie Howe feels Newcastle’s point at AC Milan will ‘look better and better’

Eddie Howe feels the hard-fought point with which Newcastle emerged from their trip to AC Milan could serve them well as their Champions League campaign continues.

The Magpies, who needed goalkeeper Nick Pope to make five first-half saves to ensure they came away from San Siro with a 0-0 draw, managed to frustrate the hosts for long periods and open their Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of two decades.

Head coach Howe said: “I thought the crowd were very good for Milan tonight. It was a hostile atmosphere for us, the players had to adjust to that and that’s why I don’t think you can underestimate the performance and the point that we get.

“I think it will look better and better as time goes on because it’s a new experience for a lot of people – me included – tonight and hopefully we can grow from this into the tournament.

“Again, I’ll praise the players for the defensive qualities that they showed today. We know we can do better with the ball, but hopefully that will come.”

[19 September 2023 20:06 · Mike Jones]

Rafael Leao guilty of bad miss as Newcastle earn point in UCL opener at AC Milan

Rafael Leao was guilty of an incredible miss which let Newcastle off the hook as their Champions League opener at AC Milan finished goalless.

The Portugal international, who was Newcastle star Sandro Tonali’s team-mate at San Siro until his £53million summer switch to Tyneside, completely fluffed his lines with only goalkeeper Nick Pope to beat after attempting an audacious flick at the end of a stunning 34th-minute run and only succeeded in tripping himself.

Pope will feel he had already earned his slice of good fortune after making five first-half saves in the space of six minutes to pave the way for a 0-0 draw which banked a priceless first point for the Magpies’ Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of 20 years.

[19 September 2023 19:53 · Mike Jones]

FT AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

(Getty Images)

(PA)

[19 September 2023 19:49 · Mike Jones]

FT AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

Newcastle will come away happy with that result. Based on the stats they should have lost that game heavily but Nick Pope was brilliant in goal and kept them in the game.

Sean Longstaff almost nicked the three points right at the end of the game too.

There’s plenty for Eddie Howe to work on over the coming weeks but tonight’s match made it clear that Newcastle’s home games are crucial if they’re to get through to the knockouts.

[19 September 2023 19:45 · Mike Jones]

Man City vs Red Star Belgrade

There’ll be a bit of reaction coming up from the San Siro but now our focus is heading to Manchester where Pep Guardiola’s Champions League winners get their campaign started when they take on Red Star Belgrade.

You can follow this game right here:

[19 September 2023 19:42 · Mike Jones]

Full-time! AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

90+5 mins: Newcastle push right at the end of the match for a winner with Sean Longstaff smoking a good effort at goal only for Marco Sportiello to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The whistle goes after Milan deal with the corner and the points are shared in Milan. It’s a decent start to their Champions League campaign for Eddie Howe’s men.

They’ll be looking at winning this contest when they play each other at St. James’ Park.

[19 September 2023 19:38 · Mike Jones]

AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

90+3 mins: Kieran Trippier hustles across the pitch and times a sliding tackle to perfection to stop Milan from getting any further on the counter-attack.

Two minutes left in the game. Newcastle are fully playing for a point now.

[19 September 2023 19:36 · Mike Jones]

AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play at the end of this half as Milan win themselves a corner.

Pulisic takes it but Harvey Barnes, now on the pitch, manages to shuffle it away from the penalty area under pressure from Theo Hernandez.

[19 September 2023 19:33 · Mike Jones]

AC Milan 0-0 Newcastle

87 mins: Shot! Newcastle push high up the pitch but lose the ball to Olivier Girioud who carries it the full length of the pitch. He’s got options on both sides but decides to go for goal himself and smokes a left-footed effort straight into the hands of Nick Pope.