Bournemouth Beat Ten-Man AC Milan 3-0 for Famous Europa League Win
Bournemouth beat ten-man AC Milan 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday, October 22, in matchday 3 of the Europa League. Two first-half penalties and a late free kick from substitute Amine Adli gave the Cherries one of the biggest results in their history, and a perfect record from their first three European matches.
Bournemouth took control from the start in wet weather. They were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute, after Milan defender De Winter handled the ball, and Justin Kluivert converted it. The first-half drama was far from over. In the 27th minute, Milan captain and goalkeeper Mike Maignan pushed both hands into the face of Bournemouth's Tyler Adams during a corner. He was sent off, and Bournemouth were awarded another penalty. Maignan became the first Milan goalkeeper ever to be sent off in a major European game.
Omari Hutchinson was taken off to allow substitute goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani to come on, and he was immediately beaten. Marcus Tavernier scored from the spot in the 32nd minute to make it 2-0.
Milan coach Ruben Amorim sent on Bartesaghi and Rabiot at half-time, and the visitors tried to find a foothold, with Moreira working down the flank. But they found it hard to create clear openings against a well-organised home side. Bournemouth kept pushing and could have had a bigger lead. The third goal came in the 84th minute, when Adli curled a superb free kick over the wall, which broke apart as he struck it.
The win makes Bournemouth the first English team to win their first three games at the start of a European campaign since 1973. They are third in the Europa League table with nine points. Amorim said afterwards that there was no match once Maignan was sent off, and he told reporters there was no game after 20 minutes. Bournemouth coach Marco Rose said he was proud of a brilliant performance and that his team would stay humble.
It was a second big win in a week for Bournemouth, who had recorded their first Premier League win of the season against ten-man Sunderland at the weekend. They are 15th in the Premier League. Milan have now lost two of their first three Europa League matches.