Ben Twelves looks ahead to the last game
of the group stage of the Guinness
International Cup for Brendan Rodgers ’
Liverpool as they take on AC Milan.
Liverpool v AC Milan
Saturday, 2nd August 2014, Guinness
International Cup
Kick Off: 6.30pm (EST) 11.30pm (BST)
Liverpool play their final group game of the
Guinness International Cup on Saturday
night when they take on AC Milan in
Charlotte, North Carolina. A win for the
Reds would see them qualify for the final of
the friendly competition – which takes
place just two days later in Miami.
A 3-1 win on penalties over Manchester
City on Wednesday in New York positioned
Liverpool at the top of Group B. Manchester
United currently top Group A.
Saturday’s game sees Liverpool meet
another of the clubs historic opponents in
sleeping giants, Milan, who currently sit at
the bottom of the group after suffering
heavy defeats against both Olympiacos and
Man City, losing 3-0 and 5-1 respectively in
their first two games of the tournament.
Another spectacular setting is to host the
clash, which will this time be played in the
picturesque Bank of America Stadium –
home of NFL side Carolina Panthers.
Capacity at the ground which opened in
1996 is at the highest it’s been and can now
host around 74,000 fans.
Team News
The Liverpool squad thankfully appear to
have come through the match against City
unscathed and despite the game being
played on a difficult surface, seemingly no
new injuries have been added to the list of
current absentees which includes new-boy
Lazar Markovic, who picked up a minor
knock in training but is reported to be
available to take part on Saturday.
Martin Skrtel was also left out of the squad
on Thursday as Brendan Rodgers afforded
game time to fringe players Kolo Toure and
Sebastian Coates as gaining fitness is the
main aim of any pre-season schedule.
Almost the whole squad have received
adequate match minutes and Rodgers is
likely to continue to rotate his team in
preparation for the opening day of the
season, which is now just 15 days away.
Dejan Lovren won’t be joining
up with the LFC squad in
America, he will remain at
Melwood.
— This Is Anfield
(@thisisanfield) July 31, 2014
Wednesday morning saw disappointing
news emerge that new signing Dejan Lovren
has been unable to obtain a work permit in
enough time to join up with his new
teammates, and as a result, he is set to
remain on Merseyside instead, where he’ll
train to a specialised schedule sent by the
Liverpool manager and with the under 21s
as he waits for the first team squad to
arrive home.
Lovren: “I will train with the
U-21 team in Liverpool.
Brendan Rodgers will send a
program for me to practice.”
— Kop 305 (@Kop305) July 30,
2014
Lovren’s potential centre back partner
Mamadou Sakho and Simon Mignolet
received the first minutes of pre-season
since re-joining the squad, and both
impressed for the duration of time that they
were on the pitch, with the Belgian keeper
saving two City penalties.
Forgotten man Coates produced an excellent
display at the heart of the Reds’ defence,
and the Uruguayan may have provided a
little food for thought for Rodgers at a time
where he is linked with a move to Spanish
side Deportivo La Coruna.
#LFC in negotiations with
Deportivo for the loan deals of
#Ilori and #Coates. Was
reported on #Ilori last week.
(See last RT)
— LFCZA (@LFCZA) July 31,
2014
Opposition
The Rossoneri are now under the guidance
of former Italian goal-poacher Filipo
Inzaghi, who took over from ex-teammate
Clarence Seedorf in June, and Saturday’s
meeting will be the first time the two clubs
have met since that forgettable defeat in
Athens of May 2007, in which the new boss
scored what proved to be the winning the
goal.
Inzaghi has inherited an ageing squad at
the San Siro – one which finished in 8
position and 45 points behind league
winners Juventus last season – meaning
Milan will not participate in any European
competition during the forthcoming season
for the first time since the 1998-99 season
where a 10 place finish meant they
missed out.
The former Italian international striker
named a 31-man squad for their tour of the
US & Canada which includes former
Premier League players Alex, Michael
Essien, Sulley Muntari and Mario Balotelli,
but ex-Man City wizard Robinho has been
left out as he reportedly negotiates a move
away from Milan. The squad also consists of
one-time rumoured Liverpool transfer
targets Philippe Mexes, and Colombian
international Christian Zapata.
Milan will want to salvage some pride from
a poor tournament on Saturday night – in a
fixture that will be shown live on Sky
Sports 1 – but Liverpool know if they
emerge victorious they will progress to
Monday’s final when they could face a
rival clash against Manchester United.

A win for the red will push them to final. up red

Confirmed # LFC team: Mignolet, Kelly, Toure,
Coates, Robinson, Lucas, Henderson, Allen,
Lambert, Ibe, Sterling
Subs: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Gerrard,
Coutinho, Sakho, Can, Suso, Coady, Skrtel,
Peterson
Kolo Toure will captain the team

3 ' The Reds dominating the possession in
the early proceedings , but De Sciglio finds
space unmarked down the left and fires a
cross into the box, but it is easily caught
by Mignolet .
2 ' Liverpool kicking from left to right,
and it ' s a decent start for the Reds . Jack
Robinson already pushing up very high
down the left, and he gets onto the end of
a long ball before forcing a corner. The
ball is played short by Joe Allen , before
Sterling tries to find Lambert but Milan
clear the ball away.

5 ' Ibe 's nice feet sees him edge past one
man , but he can't quite get past another
red shirt . Him and Sterling down either
wing already looking an exciting
prospect.
4 ' Interesting tactical shape from Brendan
Rodgers , with Lucas assuming Steven
Gerrard ' s defensive midfield role by
slotting in between Touré and Coates ,
meanwhile Henderson and Allen
interchange their defensive and offensive
duties .

18 ' Allen takes advantage of a Essien 's
hesitancy , dispossesses him and races
through on goal . He strokes an effort to
the left of Abbiati which rebounds off the
post . The ball falls to Ibe , whose effort is
blocked but it falls back to Allen, who
fires into the empty space to the left of the
keeper. Great play by the Welshman .
17 ' GOAL! Liverpool 1 -0 AC Milan

29 ' He succumbed to the pressure there,
it ' s a poor penalty from the usual spot-
kick genius . Up the other end, Milan win
a corner and after an intricate set -piece,
Lucas heads clear. Martin Kelly receives a
yellow in the build- up for shirt -pulling .
28 ' And it 's missed! Of all the people , the
trusty Rickie Lambert 's penalty is saved
by Abbiati. Good opportunity missed by
the veteran forward.
27 ' Lambert pulls back to Sterling in the
box , who turns away from goal and Rami
makes the mistake of bringing him down .
26 ' Penalty to Liverpool!

HT : Liverpool 1- 0 AC Milan .
45 + 2' Liverpool play dangero

00 :35 . In contrast, Inzaghi 's Milan have
been very poor . Niang aside, they 've been
outclassed by a largely second-string
Liverpool side . They 've looked
significantly less sharp than the Premier
League runners - up, especially off the ball.
The Reds have been very impressive in
their pressing. The Rossoneri merely a
shadow of their former selves , though.

46 ' A number of substitutes at the break.
Balotelli on for Milan as Pazzini makes
way , whilst Coady and Suso come on for
the Reds . A goalkeeping change too , as
Abbiati comes off for Agazzi. Sterling and
Henderson also off .

52 ' Brendan Rodgers ' side look to have
taken their foot off the gas a little bit here
as the Italians push for an equaliser.
Balotelli gives Ibe a taste of his own
medicine with some silky skill to get away
from the youngster.
50 ' Milan look in a more confident mood
here , spraying the ball about with intent.
Abate tries a cross, but it flies out for a
goal kick after Ibe 's pressure.
49 ' Same routine, Niang in and the
towering Coates heads clear. Throw- in to
the Rossoneri .
48 ' Niang again, with the corner but
Coates heads it out of the danger area.
Milan retrieve it before Niang cuts to the
byline after passing Allen with relative
ease , but Coady intercepts for another
corner.
47 ' Balotelli goes down and wins a free-
kick from 30 -yards out after Lucas looks
to have caught him. The no .45 steps up
and shoots , but it flies wide after a
deflection.

60 ' An hour in, the Reds still lead
1 - 0. Enrique , Gerrard , Coutinho , Emre
Can , Sakho, Skrtel and Peterson all come
on . Replacing Coates , Touré, Allen , Ibe ,
58 ' Great display of pace by Ibe there, as
he looks to fly down the wing. Eight subs
coming for Liverpool momentarily.
58 ' Balotelli feeds Abate with a spun pass,
but Robinson sees out the cross, forcing
him to play it back . That is until he finds
the space to play it into Saponara , but he
can 't control it .
57 ' Ibe seems to have gone to ground with
a knock , but he gets back up to limp
away . Worrying moment for Rodgers
there .
56 ' Lambert brings down a long ball for
Allen in the final third, but Saponara
tracks back to nick it from his feet.
54 ' Allen switches well to Suso , who cuts
in to Coady. He finds Kelly by the
corner flag , who wins a corner. Suso
delivers and it falls to Coates but as the
ball drops , a number of defenders close
out his volley .
53 ' El Shaarawy is stopped in his tracks
by Coates , who has defended well tonight,
but Mignolet's pass gifts Milan a throw -in.
Balotelli tries a shot from the edge of the
box but a crowd of yellow shirts get in the
way

90 ' That 's that sorted then . Coutinho
coolly flicks a ball to Suso , who runs onto
it from the edge of the box and fires a
cultured curling effort into the far corner.
Lovely finish from the Spaniard.
89 ' GOAL! 2 - 0 Liverpool.
87 ' Can drives at the heart of the defence,
but his final ball is poor and drifts
through to Gabriel . Not long left now.

90 + 2' Great way to end the game.
Fantastic little finish from Suso to add to
Joe Allen's effort earlier on.
90 + 1' Balotelli tries a shot from 25- yards,
but it deflects straight into Mignolet 's
grasp .

01 :37 . That sets the Reds up nicely for an
International Champions Cup final versus
Manchester United on Monday night. They
will travel to Miami, Florida to take on
their fiercest foes in the Sun Life Stadium.
They go into the game after topping their
game with eight points after beating
Olympiacos 1 - 0, overcoming Manchester
City 3 -1 on penalties after a 2 - 2 draw and
then tonight beating Milan 2 - 0.
01 :35 . Aside from a 10 minute spell after
half -time , Liverpool were thoroughly in
control throughout that game , over a
lackadaisical Rossoneri . Joe Allen' s 17th
minute goal and Suso 's fine late strike
was enough to see them through as they
claimed a third consecutive victory and
condemned Milan to a third straight
defeat . Disappointment for Pippo Inzaghi,
but Brendan Rodgers will be happy with
his side's performance .
FT : Liverpool 2 - 0 AC Milan .
90 + 3' Good save from Mignolet as the
Italians look for a late consolation , but
the Belgian is there to keep a clean sheet .