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Teenage substitute Amad Diallo opened his Manchester United account in style but Simon Kjaer\u2019s stoppage-time header denied Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s men victory against AC Milan in the Europa League.<\/p>\nTeenage substitute Amad Diallo opened his Manchester United account in style but Simon Kjaer\u2019s stoppage-time header denied Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s men victory against AC Milan in the Europa League.<\/p>\n
The eagerly-anticipated last-16 clash between these European heavyweights produced drama on Thursday night and set-up an interesting return fixture at San Siro next week.<\/p>\n
Half-time substitute Diallo\u2019s superb, improvised header looked to have secured a hard-fought first-leg win at Old Trafford, only for Kjaer\u2019s last-gasp header to seal Milan a deserved 1-1 draw.<\/p>\n
In truth, Solskjaer\u2019s side would have been fortunate to be going to Italy in the lead given how the absentee-hit Rossoneri outplayed the hosts for large periods.<\/p>\n
United looked a shell of the side that impressively won at Manchester City on Sunday and Franck Kessie was denied an early opener when the video assistant referee contentiously ruled he had handled.<\/p>\n
The hosts were second best throughout the opening period but inexplicably failed to go into the break ahead as unmarked Harry Maguire met a flicked-on corner with a shinned effort that hit the post.<\/p>\n
Substitute Diallo did better when expertly heading in from Bruno Fernandes\u2019 quickly-taken free-kick, but Milan secured a potentially crucial away goal at the death when Kjaer capitalized on United\u2019s inability to defend set pieces.<\/p>\n
Milan deserved this result at Old Trafford, where they played impressively despite being without the likes of former United star Zlatan Ibrahimovi\u0107, Theo Hernandez and Ante Rebic among others.<\/p>\n
Rafael Leao saw a fifth-minute opener ruled out for offside as Stefano Pioli\u2019s men started on the front foot, with the Rossoneri finding the net again in the 11th minute.<\/p>\n
United were caught napping as Kessie controlled a throw-in from the right and continued to hit a smart strike past Dean Henderson to send the depleted visitors wild.<\/p>\n
There were few complaints about the goal as the teams lined up for kick-off, only for Solskjaer\u2019s men to be given a surprise reprieve as VAR Bastian Dankert surprisingly cancelled the goal out for a Kessie handball.<\/p>\n
It was a controversial decision but Milan continued unflustered, with Alexis Saelemaekers proving a handful as Manchester City academy graduate Brahim Diaz probed.<\/p>\n
Rade Krunic mishit an effort before Saelemaekers tested Henderson as the Rossoneri continued in the ascendancy, leading skipper Maguire to angrily admonish his team-mates.<\/p>\n
A smart early Anthony Martial effort tipped over by Gianluigi Donnarumma was the best the hosts had mustered until Maguire wasted a glorious chance to score an undeserved 38th-minute opener.<\/p>\n
Alex Telles swung in a corner that Fernandes flicked on to the far post, where the unopposed United skipper somehow failed to convert from point-blank range as the ball spun off his foot and away from goal.<\/p>\n
The hosts will have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle after a torrid first half, with Diallo emerging in place of Martial when the teams re-emerged.<\/p>\n
This was just the 18-year-old\u2019s third substitute appearance for United but he made quite the impact, putting the hosts ahead within five minutes of coming on.<\/p>\n
Diallo darted between Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori and Diogo Dalot, who is on loan from United, to meet Fernandes free-kick with a fine back header over Milan goalkeeper Donnarumma.<\/p>\n
It was a gut punch for the impressive visitors, who could have gone further behind had it not been for a timely block on Daniel James.<\/p>\n
Milan eventually rallied and began to exert pressure again, with Kessie denied by Henderson before Krunic somehow failed to get a Davide Calabria cross on target.<\/p>\n
James turned a whipped cross badly wide as the heavens opened and play became stretched, with Milan screaming for Scott McTominay to pick up a second booking as the clock wound down.<\/p>\n
The Rossoneri pushed relentlessly for a leveler and grabbed an away goal in stoppage time.<\/p>\n
Nemanja Matic lost Kjaer when a corner came in to get away a header that Henderson should have kept out.<\/p>\n