Rennes –
AC Milan lost 2-3 at home to Rennes. Even though they lost, the Rossoneri still have the right to qualify for the last 16 of the League Europa after winning 5-3 on aggregate.
Rennes hosts AC Milan at Roazhon Park in the second leg of the 2023/2024 Europa League knockout phase playoff, Friday, (23/2/2024). Il Diavolo started the match with a 3-0 aggregate advantage thanks to victory at San Siro in the first leg.
The hosts, who were catching up on aggregate, were able to open the scoring in the 11th minute from Benjamin Bourigeaud. Milan then equalized Luka Jovic’s score in the 22nd minute.
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At the start of the second half, Rennes took the lead again from Bourigeaud’s penalty in the 52nd minute. Milan were again able to equalize the score from Rafael Leao’s action in the 58th minute. Bourigeaud scored a hat-trick after scoring another goal from the penalty spot in the 66th minute.
Rennes ended the match with a 3-2 win. However, Milan qualified for the last 16 due to a 5-3 aggregate advantage.
The Course of the Match
Rennes, who was catching up on aggregate, was able to open up the lead when the match had only been running for 11 minutes. Benjamin Bourigeaud fired a measured horizontal kick from outside the penalty box which nestled into the left corner of Milan’s goal.
The Rossoneri were able to respond by equalizing in the 22nd minute. Luka Jovic headed Theo Hernandez’s cross from the left into a goal.
The 1-1 score lasted until halftime.
After the break, Rafael Leao’s action almost put Milan back in the lead. However, his shot was still blocked by Steve Mandanda.
In the 52nd minute, Rennes was awarded a penalty after Martin Terrier was brought down by Simon Kjaer. Bourigeaud, who stepped forward as executor, carried out his duties well to put the hosts back in front.
This time Leao’s stab was unstoppable by the Rennes defense in the 58th minute. He was able to outwit Mandanda before hitting the ball into the Rennes goal. The score was again tied at 2-2.
Rennes received their second penalty in this match in the 66th minute. The referee pointed to the spot after reviewing the VAR due to Arnaud Kalimuendo’s header from a free kick hitting Jovic’s hand.
Bourigeaud was once again so calm in executing the ball from the 12th point. He was able to outwit Mike Maigna to score a hat-trick in the 68th minute.
Rennes continues to attack to catch up on aggregate. However, they found it difficult to penetrate Milan’s back line.
Deadlocked, they tried a long-range shot through Ibrahim Salah. Maignan could still stop his efforts.
Rennes failed to score an additional goal. They won 3-2 but failed to qualify for the last 16.
Watch the video “AC Milan Qualifies for the Last 16 of the Europa League Despite Losing to Rennes”
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