It took 26 spot kicks to eventually crown Manchester United winners of their International Champions Cup clash with AC Milan at Los Angeles' StubHub Center this morning.
The scores were 1-1 when 90 minutes elapsed, with Suso cancelling out Alexis Sanchez's opener inside the first 15 minutes, and Fabio Borini nearly grabbing the Italians a late winner when he struck the base of the post.
Borini's penalty miss opened the door for United but three successive Pepe Reina saves from Scott McTominay, Joel Pereira and Eric Bailly meant that it was Milan who passed up the chance to win the shootout when Alessio Romagnoli hit the post at 3-3.
Young midfielder Ethan Hamilton was nearly the unfortunate villain when he missed United's 10th penalty, but he was bailed out by one of three saves from Pereira, and Franck Kessie's messy chip over the crossbar finally settled the shootout at 9-8.
Relive how the drama unfolded in California with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
After disappointing draws with Club America and San Jose Earthquakes, pre-season business is about to pick up for Manchester United as they take on seven-time European champions AC Milan in their first International Champions Cup 2018 match at LA's StubHub Arena. Let's get to the team news...
MAN UTD: Grant; Darmian, Smalling, Bailly, Shaw; Tuanzebe, McTominay, Herrera; Mata, A. Pereria, Sanchez
Subs: J. Pereria, Garner, Fosu-Mensah, Mitchell, Williams, Hamilton, Gomes, Bohui, Chong, Greenwood
Subs: J. Pereria, Garner, Fosu-Mensah, Mitchell, Williams, Hamilton, Gomes, Bohui, Chong, Greenwood
AC MILAN: G. Donnarumma; Abate, Musacchio, Bonucci, Calabria; Kessie, Locatelli, Bertolacci; Suso, Calhanoglu, Cutrone
Subs: A. Donnarumma, Antonelli, Belledoi, Bonaventura, Borini, Brescianini, Halilovic, Kalinic, Mauri, Reina, Rodriguez, Romagnoli, Andre Silva, Simic, Torrari, Tsadjout, Zapata
Subs: A. Donnarumma, Antonelli, Belledoi, Bonaventura, Borini, Brescianini, Halilovic, Kalinic, Mauri, Reina, Rodriguez, Romagnoli, Andre Silva, Simic, Torrari, Tsadjout, Zapata
Alexis Sanchez starts as Manchester United's main striker in the absence of Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, a role that the Chilean fulfilled in Sunday's disappointing 0-0 draw with San Jose Earthquakes after joining the touring squad late because of complications with his visa.
Another latecomer to United's squad this summer is Nemanja Matic, the only one of the club's World Cup contingent who has arrived in the States to date - he will be joined by David de Gea and Fred next week. However, Jose Mourinho has not named the Serbian in his squad for tonight's fixture.
Also missing from the United squad is Anthony Martial, who has flown home to be with his wife ahead of the birth of their second child. Reports are claiming that the Frenchman may have played his last game for the Red Devils with Mourinho now prepared to sell the forward. More on that later...
Juan Mata, the only player to have scored for United on this tour so far - in the 1-1 draw with Club America - and Andreas Pereira complete the front three. That is a different role for Pereira this morning with the youngster having previously been utilised in a deep-lying midfield role on this tour.
De-facto club captain Antonio Valencia limped off seven minutes into the San Jose encounter with a suspected calf injury so there is a chance for Matteo Darmian to put himself in the shop window against a potential Serie A suitor. The Italian right-back is surprisingly listed as United's captain.
Elsewhere in the back four, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly are once again partnered in central defence, and it appears as though that will be the partnership which starts off the season for United despite reports linking them with several new centre-half options, including AC Milan's Leonardo Bonucci.
With Fred and Matic unavailable, Mourinho slots versatile academy graduate Alex Tuanzebe into the holding midfield role. He is flanked by Scott McTominay and Ander Herrera in the midfield three system which appears to have been preferred to try to get the best out of World Cup winner Paul Pogba.
Youngsters James Garner and Tahith Chong drop out of the starting XI from the San Jose match but will hope to feature from the bench, as will Ro-Shaun Williams, Ethan Hamilton and Joshua Bohui who are the only members of United's touring party yet still to see some game time in the US.
We will bring you the AC Milan team news as soon as we get it. The Italian giants begun their pre-season preparations with a 2-0 win over Serie C outfit Novara at their training base on Saturday. The new Serie A campaign begins on the weekend of 18-19 August, a week after the Premier League.
The last few years have been a strange time in AC Milan's history. They have gone seven years without winning a league title, four years without Champions League football and have had two foreign takeovers in the past two summers, with a new American investment company now at the helm.
Their Chinese predecessors had splashed the cash to try to make Milan a huge force in Italian football again, with £171m being spent on 11 new players in 2017. This summer has been a bit different, with £18m striker Nikola Kalinic the only major outlay and three free transfers having arrived.
Those free transfers have included 36-year-old goalkeeper Pepe Reina and a couple of Croatians - Alen Halilovic and Ivan Stranic - while former Sunderland striker Fabio Borini has joined the club permanently after a loan spell last season. That is hardly the recruitment that points to a Milan renaissance.
It might be that the new American owners are holding back the big bucks for a new manager, with playing legend Genaro Gattuso's job being linked to departed Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. Gattuso, who made over 400 appearances for the Rossoneri, took over last year and led them to the Coppa Italia final.
We can now bring you news of Milan's starting XI and subs in Los Angeles...
AC MILAN: G. Donnarumma; Abate, Musacchio, Bonucci, Calabria; Kessie, Locatelli, Bertolacci; Suso, Calhanoglu, Cutrone
Subs: A. Donnarumma, Antonelli, Belledoi, Bonaventura, Borini, Brescianini, Halilovic, Kalinic, Mauri, Reina, Rodriguez, Romagnoli, Andre Silva, Simic, Torrari, Tsadjout, Zapata
The Italians did not have many players at the World Cup so are able to name a team which is closer to what their opening-day lineup might be. Reported United target Bonucci starts in defence while Liverpool flop Suso, now a key player for Milan, starts in a front three alongside youngster Patrick Cutrone.
Most of Milan's new signings are waiting in reserve, including Kalinic who cost himself the chance to play in a World Cup final when he was sent home by Croatia for refusing to sit on the bench for one of their group games in Russia. With Gattuso in charge, I wouldn't recommend the same reponse tonight.
This Milan team is a far cry from the illustrious side which reached three Champions League finals in five years - winning two - just over a decade ago - but it does have some stars no more so than goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who at 19 years old has already made 100 first-team appearances.
The venue for tonight's clash is the StubHub Center which should be at its 27,000 capacity for this blockbuster friendly. The stadium plays host to LA Galaxy, the new home of former Manchester United and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has 12 goals in 15 matches for the MLS club.
The larger-than-life Swede popped into United's California training base this week to see his old teammates and left with a typically bold message ahead of the new season...
Ibrahimovic: "Be ready for this season because something special will happen. The boss has something going on. We keep that a secret and enjoy." 👀 #mufc [Ig] pic.twitter.com/U8uXAbrF35 — United Xtra (@utdxtra) July 24, 2018
Zlatan has not been the only visitor to United's training camp. Young Angel Gomes was well and truly stitched up when the giants from the Los Angeles Lakers showed up (top left)...
⚽️ x 🏀
It was fantastic to have @Lakers stars @ZO2_ and @IvicaZubac at #MUFC training today! #MUTOUR pic.twitter.com/53fE9cdPdA — Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 24, 2018
While there has been a few surprise arrivals at United's base there has been a departure too, with Anthony Martial flying home to be with his wife ahead of the birth of their second child. If reports are to be believed, it could soon be a permanent departure from Old Trafford for the 22-year-old.
Martial had started both of United's pre-season friendlies in a centre-forward role which suggested that he was in Mourinho's plans for the start of the campaign, with both Lukaku and Rashford likely to miss the start of the Premier League action after returning late from the World Cup.
However, the former Monaco youngster appears to have made it clear to Mourinho that he wants out of the club after finding starting opportunities hard to come by last season, especially after the January arrival of Alexis Sanchez, and Jose now appears as though he will grant the Frenchman's wish.
That does come with a caveat though, as reports say that the Red Devils will refuse to sell Martial to one of their English rivals. Both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea had been linked with an interest in Martial but there is also apparently admirers from abroad such as Bayern Munich and Juventus.
That being said, I can't help but feel that there is a swap deal to be struck between United and either Spurs or Chelsea. Mourinho reportedly has his eyes on Toby Alderweireld and Willian so Martial could be used as a bargaining tool in those deals. If United won't sell to them, surely they won't sell to United?
Just less than five minutes until kickoff now with both sides emerging from the tunnel. This California evening conditions will be light relief compared to the scorching heat United played in Sunday in San Jose.
PREDICTION: United have been very lacklustre so far on this tour and Mourinho will demand an improved performance tonight, especially now that the result has a little more meaning. I think the Red Devils will pick up a single-goal victory, either 1-0 or 2-1.
KICKOFF: The action is underway in Los Angeles, with Milan in their changed white strip. The two managers embrace on the touchline. My word that could be a fiery encounter if things get spicy on the pitch. Mourinho of course used to manage Inter Milan when Gattuso was still a bulldog midfielder.
The Red Devils win an early set piece in a good position to the right of centre. Mata's delivery is aimed for the back post but it is a little too deep, beyond the head of Smalling, and Milan clear.
SHOT! McTominay takes the opportunity to work Donnarumma early and the Italian has to get down quickly to his right to prevent United from taking the lead. The goalkeeper is coming off the back of a mixed season, both on and off the pitch, but my word the potential. He is still a teenager!
CHANCE! Milan break with pace and numbers and Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie, on a two-year loan from Atalanta, gets in behind the United defence but he fires his shot into the side-netting.
SAVE! Donnarumma is called into action again as Sanchez thumps a 30-yard free kick towards the bottom corner. That is an even better save, with the Italian pushing the ball away from danger.
Kessie has started brightly for the Rossoneri but he must have left his shooting boots back in Italy, skying a long-distance effort way high. That should hit the Hollywood sign in about three minutes.
GOAL! MAN UTD 1-0 MILAN (ALEXIS SANCHEZ)
The Red Devils have knocked on the door a couple of times already and now they have the early breakthrough. McTominay wins a flick-on which Mata turns into the path of Sanchez with a delightful through-ball on the volley, and the Chilean keeps his composure to bend the ball around Donnarumma.
GOAL! MAN UTD 1-1 MILAN (SUSO)
Milan equalise straight away, and it is the former Liverpool man who has struck against United. It is route-one stuff from Gattuso's side as Bonucci knocks a ball over the top which Suso brings under control skilfully before whipping a shot past Lee Grant, who had no chance with that emphatic finish.
It may only be a friendly but Mourinho will be livid with that defending, with his side allowing themselves to be cut open by one simple, straight pass. Bailly and Smalling were playing Patrick Cutrone offside but Tuanzebe lost the run of Suso and United were punished because of it.
Alexis turns away from his defender with a flourish and feeds McTominay but his shot is blocked by Locatelli.
CLOSE! Sanchez is in the mood tonight! He is on corner duty for United and spots Donnarumma wandering off his line, with his attempt to bend the ball directly into the far corner landing on the roof of the net.
It is clear that Suso has come such a long way since his Liverpool days, as he is the driving force behind this Milan attack. The Spaniard cuts inside from the right and takes on a curling shot which bounces in front of Lee Grant and wide.
There is certainly a lot more intent to this United performance than the one in San Jose on Sunday. Andreas Pereira goes for goal from range and it is not far wide, although Donnarumma had it covered.
CHANCE! Sanchez bursts clear down the left flank and has Mata free in the middle but holds his pass back for Herrera arriving on the edge of the box. The Spaniard's first effort is parried by Donnarumma and the follow-up diverted behind for a corner.
SAVE! Donnarumma likes to wander off his line and Mata is the latest to spot this, trying to lob the goalkeeper with a quick free kick from the right touchline. The 19-year-old backpedals to tip the ball over his own crossbar and has to be alert again to keep out McTominay's header from the resultant corner.
Milan defender Mussachio, one of the expensive 2017 imports attacks a corner with venom but his header is blocked by Bailly, and the follow-up effort does not have the power to trouble Grant.
The two teams are taking on a water break, which I'm not sure is quite as essential in these California conditions as it was in San Jose. These guys should try sleeping during the UK heatwave!
A clearance breaks to Calabria who runs onto the ball from 40 yards out and hits a low shot which could have been awkward for Grant as it bounced in front of him, but the goalkeeper showed good handling.
Tuanzebe is given a lesson in the dark arts of Italian defending as Bertolacci buys a free kick to relieve Milan of a dangerous set-piece scenario.
Mata works a yard for a shot on the edge of the box but turns down the chance, instead trying to slip in Herrera with a cute reverse pass which is intercepted by the experienced Abate.
Roles reversed this time, but the end result is the same as Mussachio cuts out Herrera's pass intended for his Spanish colleague who had made a run behind Sanchez who has permission to roam in this system.
Darmian wins the ball off Calhanoglu in the right-back spot and then charges forward. He delivers an early cross which is too far in front of Sanchez, who'd have been in with a better ball.
Calhanoglu leaves Darmian on the floor with a nifty change of direction, and as soon as he has the space the Turkish international gets a shot away but it swerves comfortably wide from 30 yards. The former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is certainly capable from that range.
Surprisingly Suso takes charge of a 40-yard set piece ahead of Calhanoglu. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't trouble Grant.
HALF TIME: MAN UTD 1-1 MILAN
The referee's whistle calls time on a really entertaining 45 minutes at the StubHub Center. It has been much better from United but one defensive lapse has cost them the half-time lead.
Sanchez has been absolutely terrific for the Red Devils - a lot sharper than he looked in his underwhelming debut spell last season. The Chilean gave United a 12th-minute lead from Mata's cushioned pass only for Suso to go unchecked three minutes later to equalise for the Italians.
This has been a good advert for the International Champions Cup, with the slightly increased intensity of the league format making for more of a spectacle than your standard friendly. This is the sixth year of the competition, which has expanded to 18 teams playing 27 games across eight countries in 2018.
A reminder that in the ICC format, draws are settled by a penalty shootout which is how Benfica beat Borussia Dortmund earlier today.
United follow this fixture with games against Liverpool and Real Madrid - they actually beat the Reds in Miami to win this competition in 2014. Milan have another date with English opposition when they face Spurs a week today. The Londoners have tonight thrased Roma 4-1 with two each for Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura.
Elsewhere in the ICC today, Liverpool showed that they continue to have the number of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City with a 2-1 win at the Met Life Stadium. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane goals cancelled out the opener from Leroy Sane. You can read our match report of that one here.
At this point, Liverpool are considered to be the biggest challengers to City's Premier League crown. United at as long as 7/1 with some bookmakers, which is their longest title odds of the Premier League era. If Sanchez plays like he did in that first half all season, that could be decent value!
KICKOFF: We are back underway in Los Angeles and there have been three changes in total For United, Joel Pereira has replaced Lee Grant in goal while Gattuso has brought on Fabio Borini and Alessio Romagnoli in place of Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Bertolacci.
CLOSE! Sanchez starts a flowing United counter and nearly finishes it too in spectacular fashion. Darmian's cross is just behind the South American but he manages to steer it very close to Donnarumma's post with an inventive volley.
SAVE! McTominay tested Donnarumma early in the first half and has done the same early in the second, although the Scotland international did not generate much power behind his left-footed shot after driving into the penalty box.
Calhanoglu, who has dropped into a deeper midfield role to accommodate Borini, has not quite lived up to his set-piece specialist reputation tonight, with his latest effort smashing against the wall.
The Red Devils played at the StubHub center last summer, when they thrashed hosts LA Galaxy 5-2. Marcus Rashford scored twice that night and Romelu Lukaku made his debut. United have not missed that pair so far tonight considering the energetic and creative performance of Sanchez.
CHANCE! Cutrone squanders a good chance for Milan, slicing a shot wide under pressure from Smalling after Borini had fed him on the overlap. United were left short in defence there with Luke Shaw stranded upfield.
HEAD TO HEAD: We could see history made tonight as there has never been a draw between these two footballing giants. Of the 10 meetings, United have won five and Milan have won five, including three European Cup semi-finals.
Concern here for Mourinho and United as Bailly goes down injured after being caught by Cutrone. The Ivorian has had his fair share of injury problems in his two years at Old Trafford and Jose must have been looking forward to getting his best defender fit and on the pitch. Fingers crossed it is not serious...
SUBSTITUTIONS: Here come the substitutions - three more for Milan including a debut for Pepe Reina in goal as Donnarumma trots off. Elsewhere, Locatelli and Abate are off; Jose Mauri and Luca Antonelli are on.
Reina is straight into the action as he makes a full-stretch diving save to push a shot from Shaw around the post. It wouldn't have counted anyway, with Sanchez in Reina's line of sight and flagged for offside.
No outfield substitutions so far from Mourinho, who is lacking senior options on the bench and may want to test this XI, most of whom are likely to be in the frame for their Premier League opener against Leicester City on August 10th.
CHANCE! Mauri skips away from Pereira in midfield and finds the out-to-in run of Borini, who skews his effort high and wide. The former Sunderland striker should do better although Darmian made it tough for him.
CHANCE! An early ball from Pereira releases Sanchez over the top. He could take on a left-footed strike from an angle, but instead waits for the run of Mata and tees up the Spaniard for a shot which Reina reads well and holds.
Sanchez continues to dazzle but not enough of this United team are on his level. McTominay dwells on the ball and the attack loses momentum, after Alexis had delightfully switched the play.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A change apiece from the two managers as Mourinho introduces Timothy Fosu-Mensah in place of Luke Shaw, with Darmian switching to left-back, and Gattuso swapping Cutrone for Kalinic up top. Cutrone has worked hard but not really had any service.
Time for a second water break, which Mourinho doesn't look particularly happy about. Then again, the Portuguese is rarely happy about anything these days.
We are back underway for the remaining 12 minutes plus stoppage time. Is that long enough for either of these side's to find a winner? United would deserve victory on the balance of play.
SHOT! The Red Devils move the ball quickly across the edge of the box but the shooting opportunity falls to the wrong man as Herrera blazes over with his weaker left foot.
Tuanzebe makes an important interception as Suso tried to feed Kessie down the right channel.
OFF THE POST! Milan put together their best move of the second half and it so nearly creates what might have been the winning goal, but Borini's shot across Pereria cannons back off the base off the post.
Pereira drops a simple catch from a corner but gathers the ball before Kessie can pounce.
SUBSTITUTION: A special moment for young Ethan Hamilton as the 19-year-old midfielder replaces Mata for the final few minutes. Mata now won't be able to take a penalty if it goes to spot kicks.
Antonelli gets to the byline but his cross is cut out by Bailly who appears to have overcome his earlier knock.
YELLOW CARD! There will be three minutes of stoppage time, and the referee decides he cannot keep his cards in his pocket all game as he punishes Herrera for a block on Mauri which caught the Milan man in the face.
END OF 90 MINUTES: WE ARE GOING TO PENALTIES!
END OF 90 MINUTES: This will not have a tenth of the drama of England vs. Colombia this summer, but United especially will want to win to cap a much-improved pre-season performance. Having said that, Fabio Borini could have pinched it for Milan when he hit the post six minutes from time.
In International Champions Cup terms, a penalty shootout win counts for two points, with the loser still picking up one. Here we go then...
MAN UTD 1-0 MILAN - ANDRES PEREIRA SCORES Pereria steps up first and sends Reina the wrong way.
MAN UTD 1-1 MILAN - HAKAN CALHANOGLU SCORES Joel Pereira goes the right way but Calhanoglu's effort is high and powerful.
MAN UTD 2-1 MILAN - ANDER HERRERA SCORES Reina goes the right way this time but Herrera rifles it into the bottom corner.
MAN UTD 2-1 MILAN - FABIO BORINI MISSES Borini stutters in his run up and Pereira keeps his nerve to stand up tall and make the save!
MAN UTD 3-1 MILAN - ALEXIS SANCHEZ SCORES Emphatic from Sanchez into the top left corner. His swagger is back.
MAN UTD 3-2 MILAN - FRANK KESSIE SCORES Kessie keeps his cool but again Pereira gets pretty close to it.
MAN UTD 3-2 MILAN - SCOTT MCTOMINAY MISSES Reina keeps out McTominay's kick down low to his right!
MAN UTD 3-2 MILAN - SUSO MISSES Poor penalty from Suso and Pereira gets a strong hand to it! United have a chance to win it now...
MAN UTD 3-2 MILAN - JOEL PEREIRA MISSES The goalkeeping hero steps up but Reina makes another good save to the same corner. Smalling was walking up to take the kick but Mourinho called for Pereira, and he missed!
MAN UTD 3-3 MILAN - PEPE REINA SCORES Reina shows Pereira how it is done by calmly rolling the ball down the middle.
MAN UTD 3-3 MILAN - ERIC BAILLY MISSES A third penalty save in a row from Reina! We are into sudden death now so a Milan goal and they win it.
MAN UTD 3-3 MILAN - ALESSIO ROMAGNOLI MISSES Romagnoli hits the post and United stay alive!
MAN UTD 4-3 MILAN - CHRIS SMALLING SCORES Smalling now does step up and makes no mistake.
MAN UTD 4-4 MILAN - DAVIDE CALABRIA SCORES Great penalty from Calabria into the top corner to keep Milan in it.
MAN UTD 5-4 MILAN - ALEX TUANZEBE SCORES Tuanzebe follows suit with a brilliant finish into the top right.
MAN UTD 5-5 MILAN - NIKOLA KALINIC SCORES Kalinic slots into the bottom corner with Pereira guessing the wrong way.
MAN UTD 6-5 MILAN - TIMOTHY FOSU-MENSAH SCORES These penalties are getting better and better. Great hit from Fosu-Mensah.
MAN UTD 6-6 MILAN - MATTEO MUSSACHIO SCORES Mussachio makes no mistake. We are running out of players here!
MAN UTD 6-6 MILAN - ETHAN HAMILTON MISSES It is cruel on the youngster as Reina saves his penalty. Milan have a second chance to win it now...
MAN UTD 6-6 MILAN - JOSE MAURI MISSES Unbelievable! Mauri's penalty is not bad but Pereria guesses right and saves.
MAN UTD 7-6 MILAN - MATTEO DARMIAN SCORES Darmian thrashes his spot kick down the middle.
MAN UTD 7-7 MILAN - LUCA ANTONELLI SCORES Antonelli completes the first round of spot kicks and we are back to where we started!
MAN UTD 8-7 MILAN - ANDREAS PEREIRA SCORES Pereira's second spot kick is as cool as you like into the bottom corner.
MAN UTD 8-8 MILAN - HAKAN CALHANOGLU SCORES Nobody is stopping that thunderbolt just under the crossbar.
MAN UTD 9-8 MILAN - ANDER HERRERA SCORES Herrera rifles into the same corner as his first and we are still going here...
MAN UTD 9-8 MILAN - FRANK KESSIE MISSES Kessie chips over the crossbar and United win 9-8 on spot kicks. Madness!
Kessie must have a party in LA tonight because he's practically conceded the shootout with a bizarre chip over the crossbar. What an outrageous climax to an ICC match that delivered from start to finish. A good performance from United, and they have two points to show for it. Eventually.
That's it from our coverage at the StubHub Center. You can read our match report on all of the action including the penalty chaos here. Thanks for joining us this morning. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
