Good evening ladies and gentlemen and you're very welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Liverpool's Guinness Cup clash with AC Milan in North Carolina tonight.

You don't need me to tell you that this one is steeped in history, with their last two meetings coming in Champions League finals for a start! Tonight's showing won't be as high-profile, unfortunately, as the result is very much inconsequential for both sides - albeit for contrasting reasons.

Firstly, Liverpool have already sealed their passage to Monday's final in Miami courtesy of Man City's slip-up earlier tonight, while Milan are heading out of the tournament tonight regardless what happens after suffering two defeats - including a 5-1 thumping by City.

Anyways, let's get cracking on team news shall we? We'll have this for you very soon.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Kelly, Toure, Coates, Robinson, Lucas, Henderson, Allen, Lambert, Ibe, Sterling

AC Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Bonera, Rami, De Sciglio; Essien, Muntari, Saponara; Niang, Pazzini, El Shaarawy

Milan certainly haven't made the most of their time in the land of opportunity so far, but at least they don't have to face the man who inspired their downfall in the 2005 Champions League final! Steven Gerrard starts on the bench for the Reds this evening, while Lucas, Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen form the midfield. Raheem Sterling, who has two goals in the tournament already, starts in attack with Ricky Lambert and Jordan Ibe.

Meanwhile, a few - including Brendan Rodgers perhaps - will be disappointed not to see Mario Balotelli in Milan's starting XI. The Italian has seemingly found a fan in Rodgers, who was very complimentary toward the controversial striker recently. Stephen El Shaarawy spearheads the attack this evening.

We may have to re-define the word 'friendly' in the coming days my friends, because it has been confirmed that Liverpool will take on Manchester United in the final of this Guinness Cup on Monday. Yep, one of the biggest, most fiercest rivalries in European football will take place in Miami in a couple of days! Don't believe me?

#LFC will face Manchester United in the #ICC2014 final in Miami on Monday #lfctour — Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2014

Let's just take a moment to appreciate what this magnificent fixture has thrown up, shall we? Hard to believe it's over nine years since this night in Istanbul, and here's to hoping that tonight's viewing makes for similar drama.

Kickoff isn't far away now my friends and the Reds are well supported tonight - barring the two stowaway Gooners, who are walking alone in Charlotte.

Fans fill the streets of Charlotte ahead of #LFC's match v @acmilan #LFCTour pic.twitter.com/ci4J7n2BeU — LFC USA (@LFCUSA) August 2, 2014

Right, the players are out on the field ahead of this and kickoff is imminent now. As we've said, the result could not mean any less for both sides, but let's hope that the game doesn't reflect the lack of significance and the two teams will put on a show here in the Bank of America Stadium.

KICKOFF! We're underway in North Carolina ya'll. I apologise I don't quite know what came over me just then. Let's go!!!

Slow start to the contest as you might imagine. There was a very brief moment of panic in the AC Milan defence before Rami eventually hacked the ball away. If you've just lost 5-1 to Man City, with five of those coming in the first half, then you're bound to be a little shakey, right?

Brendan Rodgers will know all about Michael Essien from his time at Chelsea. The Ghana midfielder has just collided with Rahem Sterling, and I'll give you one guess as to came off the worst. Liverpool really need somebody to come to the fore next season and try supplement the loss of Suarez's goals, and Sterling, with two in this tournament already, might fancy himself for a big 2014-15. We'll wait and see.

Mattia de Sciglio looks like he may be keen on having a big night on that left flank. The young full-back has raced upfield a few times now, and Martin Kelly will certainly have his hands full this evening.

Kolo Toure is captaining the Reds tonight, folks. There were a few rumours about his future at Anfield, with Trabzonspor reported to be interested, but perhaps Brendan Rodgers has given a clear indiction that he intends on retaining the veteran defender beyond the summer. Still 0-0.

Joe Allen fires Liverpool ahead in North Carolina folks. The Welshman scored at the second bite of the cherry after initially hitting the post, rifling the ball past Abiatti into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. He's another that will want to have a strong season. Essien was culpable in the build-up by holding on to possession for far too long, allowing Allen to dispossess him.

Liverpool have their tails up since going ahead as Raheem Sterling looks to add a second but Abbiati saves comfortably. As soon as Milan conceded one against City their defence capitulated and shipped FIVE before the end of the half, so let's see if they've learned to steady the ship somewhat.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL Rami is having what's known as 'la mere' in his native France, conceding a penalty by bringing down Sterling in the area.

SAVED! Wow, Rickie Lambert misses the chance to open his account with his boyhood club after seeing his penalty saved by Abiatti! Decent save by the Italian, but there's no excuse for missing from 12 yards, is there? Certainly not on this occasion. Should be 2-0.

It seems like Milan are acknowledging their English heritage with a new-look crest. The Italians, who were founded by an Englishman, have what looks like a full St George's cross emblem on their shirts.

There's about 10 minutes left in this half and here's a few familiar faces that we could see in the next 45:

PHOTO: Stevie G and the rest of tonight's #LFC subs watch on from the bench #lfctour pic.twitter.com/8cXwMAN22A

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2014

A bit better from Milan as Niang has their first attempt at goal with an ambitious, left-footed drive from range which Simon Mignolet couldn't but there were red and white shirts around to capitalise on the fumble. You wonder if Mario Balotelli might've followed up that shot.

BOOKING: Saponara is booked for Milan after hauling down Sterling, preventing a counter-attack. He must've seen the Jamaicans dominate the Commonwealth Games track events earlier on and thought better of letting someone of Jamaican descent gallop away from him.

HALF TIME:The first half peters out a little but Liverpool do enough to earn a 1-0 half-time lead at the Bank of America Stadium.

There's a slight scuffle just after the half-time whistle as Abate and Jordan Henderson exchange words. God knows how they understand each other, but it goes no further than a bit of gesticulation fortunately.

So, Milan still very much in this if they improve on their attack in the second half - and with Balotelli on the bench who's to say that won't happen? Still, Liverpool should be at least two goals to the good after Rickie Lambert saw his penalty saved by Abbiati on 26 mins.

Liverpool fans have commandeered the Bank of America Stadium and the Reds will firing into the Kop equivalent in the second half, which gets underway in a matter of minutes.

Charlotte is looking rather Red tonight.... #LFCTour pic.twitter.com/9Rs7DxkG5e

— LFC USA (@LFCUSA) August 2, 2014

RESTART: Mario Balotelli is on ladies and gents! He's one of a few second-half changes from both sides in Charlotte, and we'll have all of them for you very soon.

Half-time #LFC subs: Suso and Coady on, Sterling and Henderson off #lfctour

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2014

OUT Abbiati and Pazzini IN Gabriel and @FinallyMario — AC Milan (@acmilan) August 2, 2014

Balotelli's introduction has certainly given the Italians a big boost here as Milan start the second half intent on restoring parity. Successive corner kicks come to nothing but it's promising for Filipo Inzaghi's side.

Liverpool haven't got going in this half. It's one-way traffic but Milan yet to fashion any goalscoring openings. We didn't have to mention Stephen El Shaarawy's name once in the first half, but he is playing, and he is playing better since Balotelli has come on. Stay tuned to see if that axis can bear fruit for the Italians.

You wonder if Brendan Rodgers is holding back on unleashing Gerrard incase his presence triggers some post-traumatic stress in the Milan fans after what went on in 2005. But no, the skipper is warming up, along with Philipe Coutinho and Martin Skrtel.

SUBSTITUITION: Gerrard makes his way on to the field to mass applause from the Liverpool supporters inside the Bank of the America Stadium. The ex-England skipper is actually one of about eight changes. Suso, Petersen, Enrique, Skrtel, Coady, Johnson and Coutinho among those also coming on.

Milan's early second-half promise has well and truly filtered out here, my friends. The Reds's big boys help wrestle the momentum away from their Italian counterparts and it's all Liverpool here at the minute.

SUBSTITUTION: Keisuke Honda one of three subs made by Filipo Inzaghi who, at 40 years of age, may be tempted to don the Rossoneri kit one last time. He wouldn't look out of place! Philippe Mexes and Bryan Cristante also on.

There's a break in play here as Milan medics tend to goalkeeper Gabriel and defender De Sciglio in what was a pretty nasty collision. Both players on the floor feeling the effect. Incidentally, Michaelangelo Albertazzi replaces the injured De Sciglio as a result. That's a great name.

CHANCE! Well it took about 76 minutes but Milan have finally tested Mignolet. Keisuke Honda plays a delightful over-the-top ball for Niang who beat the offside trap but, after taking the ball around the Belgian keeper, Mignolet gets back in time to deny the striker's attempt at goal. You wonder if they'll get a better chance.

SUBSTITUTION: Two more subs to tell you about now as Poli and Zapata replace Muntari and Abate respectively. We're seeing the full brunt of Milan's squad here and, if we're being honest, they look a million miles from recapturing the glory years. It's very, very uninspiring.

About five minutes left in this one and it's getting increasingly harder to see how Milan are going to salvage anything from this one. Balotelli's blonde mohawk has provided just about the only highlights in what has been a dismal showing from the Italians in the second half.

Stick a fork in it! Suso has ended this one with an excellent finish, folks. The Spaniard collects a Coutinho ball, before stroking left-footed past Gabriel from outside the area. Perfect precision. It's a classy strike from the youngster.

CHANCE! Milan are denied a consolation by Mignolet, who tips Bryan Cristante's goal-bound effort over the bar.

That's it ladies and gentlemen. Liverpool ensure that they head into Monday's final with Manchester United with a relatively routine victory over a disappointing AC Milan side.

Joe Allen's first-half strike had proved the difference for much of the game before Suso added a second with a fine finish in the dying minutes of normal time to cap another miserable night stateside for Milan on their tour of the United States.

I hope that you have enjoyed Sports Mole's live coverage of the clash and I'll see you next time. Cheers!