23 July 2025 12:51pm
12:51PM Saka gets past Bartesaghi too easily and this time he does try to pick out a teammate in the centre but it is cleared well by AC Milan under pressure. That was well defended by AC Milan.
12:49PM Saka should do better there. He is found by White down Arsenal’s right and is in acres of space on the right side of the area. Instead of trying to find a teammate in the centre, he attempts a shot of his own but his effort is blocked.
12:46PM Arsenal have dominated possession in the early stages but AC Milan are starting to get their foot on the ball and now have their first corner of the match down their right as Saelemaekers’ cross is deflected behind.
Pulisic takes but his delivery is poor, not even beating the first man.
12:44PM Saelemaekers whips in a cross from the right all the way to the back post to find Bartesaghi, who tries to pick out a teammate by playing it across but cannot find one. He really should have done better there; could he have shot?
12:42PM Loftus-Cheek bursts forward from inside his own half after taking possession and is taken down by Calafiori. No yellow card as it is a friendly but you would imagine if this had been a competitive fixture it would have been a booking.
12:41PM Arsenal have their first corner of the match but Arsenal wanted a free-kick and perhaps more for a foul on Martinelli by Saelemaekers, who was stepped on but nothing more than a foul, which would be in a similar position to the corner that will be sent in.
Rice is the man to take the corner but AC Milan deal with the delivery.
12:39PM Rice has Arsenal’s first effort of the game from outside the AC Milan penalty area. He opens up his body and tries to curl one into the far corner but it goes a long way over the bar.
Moments later Havertz feeds a pass forward into the box, trying to pick out Saka but the AC Milan keeper P. Terracciano is out just in time to gather. Just slightly too much on that pass.
12:36PM Allegri is the new man at the helm at AC Milan after a disappointing campaign last season in Serie A. He obviously has plenty of experience in the Italian top flight with Juventus. They make their first venture forward and Leao has a shot from the edge of the box but it is quickly blocked.
12:33PM We are under way in Singapore.
12:29PM The crowd are ready inside the National Stadium in Singapore and both sides emerge from the tunnel. Here is a reminder of how the sides line up:
AC Milan: P. Terracciano; Pavlovic, Thiaw, Tomori, Musah, Ricci, Saelemaekers, Bartesaghi, Loftus-Cheek, Leao, Pulisic.
Substitutes: Torriani, Okafor, Chukwueze, F. Terracciano, Colombo, Bondo, Gabbia, Pittarella, Comotto, Dutu, Magni, Liberali.
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Zinchenko; Norgaard, Rice, Nwaneri; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Nichols, Kiwior, Salmon, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Lokonga, Copley, Merino, Dowman, Odegaard, Kabia, Nelson, Trossard, Odegaard, Harriman-Annous.
