Friendly: Giroud nets on Milan debut in Nice
Olivier Giroud made a magnificent Milan debut, scoring with his first touch to give them a 1-1 friendly draw away to OGC Nice after a very soft penalty.
Tommaso Pobega was filling in for Ismael Bennacer, who has COVID-19, while Franck Kessie was still at the Olympics with the Ivory Coast and Zlatan Ibrahimovic injured.
Milan were in white this evening, as hosts Nice also wear red and black stripes. Theo Hernandez saw a curling free kick go just over, but Nice went closer with an Amine Gouiri set play that smacked the base of the far post.
Alessio Romagnoli needed a desperate last-ditch tackle to prevent a certain Lucas Da Cunha goal in the six-yard box.
Ndoye went down rather easily under slight contact from Rade Krunic, winning a penalty for the hosts, converted by Gouiri, squirming under the arm of a very hesitant Ciprian Tatarusanu.
Giroud received his Milan debut and took precisely four minutes to get his name on the scoresheet, essentially with his first touch of the ball, nodding in the Samu Castillejo free kick.
The former Chelsea striker almost got his head to another cross moments later, this time from open play with Andrea Conti.
Nice 1-1 Milan
Gouiri pen 58 (N), Giroud 65 (M)
OGC Nice: Benitez; Atal (Lotomba 73), Todibo, Dante (Daniliuc 73), Kamara, Kluivert (Maolida 46), Thuram, Rosario (Smith 81), Da Cunha (Lemina 73), Ndoye, Gouiri (Amraoui 84)
Milan: Maignan (Tatarusanu 46); Calabria (Gabbia 46), Tomori (Conti 72), Romagnoli (Caldara 72), Theo Hernandez (Ballo-Toure 61); Tonali (Di Gesu 87), Pobega (Maldini 61); Saelemaekers (Castillejo 61), Brahim Diaz (Rebic 72), Krunic; Leao (Giroud 61)
Giroud comes on and scores: relive #OGCNiceMilan
@_OlivierGiroud_ entra e segna: rivivi le azioni migliori del match #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/HkO07i2HH4
— AC Milan (@acmilan) July 31, 2021