Cologne 1-2 Milan: Giroud brace in the first friendly match

by our correspondent Fabio Bianchi

July 16
– Cologne (Ger)

Ibrahimovic can recover peacefully. Origi can recover with great calm. So much does Milan have Olivier Giroud. At the first exit he gives two pearls and leads the Rossoneri to win the first serious friendly (and the first trophy, the Telekom Cup) against a Cologne that did everything to put the Rossoneri in difficulty but paid for the difference in quality and, also of game. Even if it was still a Milan 2, with many absent owners.

Immediately Olivier

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The Germans, advanced in preparation because their championship starts a week earlier (sic, they go there to the World Cup), started very strong. Also because it had to honor a very hot and numerous audience (50,000 spectators for a friendly match, even if with the Italian champions). But Milan held up very well behind with the inclusion of Kalulu, who had just returned, in the center of the defense with a good Gabbia alongside. And, thanks to the super oiled mechanisms, he began to grind the game and look for his center forward who responded to the stresses in a great way. The advantage came from a very beautiful action, started by Messias and finished with the heel by Rebic for Giroud who made the dig to the goalkeeper and accompanied the ball into the goal. Not over. After about twenty minutes, while Cologne were trying to push from the left with Kainz, the Frenchman, in great shape, served by Diaz, drew a shot under the crossbar, finding a useful detour. And then with a stone he tried the hat-trick, but Schwabe rejected. In short, Germans stunned by the grandeur of the Rossoneri.

Attentive aiming

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In the second round the Colony started as it started and in the 10th minute it created a danger with Uth, the other interesting player together with Kainz: he got rid of Kalulu who in the run-up was able to make up for it with experience. AC Milan, with Adli inserted in the trocar (few opportunities to show off), however, held the field very well, with maneuvers now memorized. But we really only played for a quarter of an hour, because Pioli then changed half a team, adding Maldini and many Primavera players. After a few minutes Baumgard imitated him. And the greater enthusiasm of the Germans made the difference. Milan in defense and Mirante – on the pitch in the second half – called to show his skills: a great save from two steps on Uth but then he had to surrender to Hector. A little bad. The first part counted, that of a super Giroud.