AC Milan hosts Benfica in Europa League action, while Sunderland plays to a scoreless draw against AZ in a busy night of European competition.
Key facts
- •Dodi Lukebakio scored for Benfica against AC Milan, while Filippo Terracciano had an effort saved by Anatoliy Trubin.
- •Sunderland's Enzo Le Fee hit the post during the goalless draw against AZ at the Stadium of Light.
- •AC Milan is competing in the Europa League's new league phase, which requires teams to play four home and four away matches.
- •Jagiellonia Bialystok and Olympiakos drew 1-1, with goals from Kajetan Szmyt and Armando Gonzalez.
- •Bayer Leverkusen took the lead against Celje following an own goal by Svit Seslar.
AC Milan and Benfica met at the San Siro for a Europa League league-phase fixture, with Benfica taking an early lead through a Dodi Lukebakio strike. Meanwhile, at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland remained deadlocked at 0-0 against AZ despite sustained pressure from the hosts. The matches are part of the tournament's new league phase, where clubs face eight different opponents to determine their standing in a single, unified table.
By the numbers
Milan and Benfica Clash at San Siro
AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim introduced squad rotation for the match, handing Omari Hutchinson his first start alongside Goncalo Ramos and Alphadjo Cisse. The team saw several changes, with Filippo Terracciano starting in defense and Ardon Jashari and Yunus Musah entering the midfield. Benfica, managed by Marco Silva, arrived in Milan on a seven-game winning streak across all competitions, though the coach opted to rotate his squad ahead of an upcoming domestic match against FC Porto.
Sunderland Pushes for Breakthrough
Sunderland maintained control for much of their match against AZ, with Enzo Le Fee coming close to scoring when his shot struck the near upright. The hosts faced a physical challenge, with Ayoub Oufkir receiving a yellow card for a sliding challenge on Le Fee, while Sunderland players Trai Hume and Alderete also picked up cautions. Despite creating multiple opportunities, including a cross from Hume that nearly deflected into the net, Sunderland was unable to break the deadlock.
Broader European Results
Elsewhere in the Europa League, Jagiellonia Bialystok took a 1-0 lead against Olympiakos through a goal by Kajetan Szmyt, though Armando Gonzalez later equalized for the hosts. Bayer Leverkusen secured a lead over Celje following an own goal by Svit Seslar. In France, Lyon doubled their lead against their opponents after a goal from Keito Nakamura. Meanwhile, a scheduled La Liga match between Levante and Athletic Club was postponed due to heavy rain.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Guardian Football, Football Italia, Football Italia.
