Hakan Calhanoglu’s brace and Lorenzo Colombo’s goal in his first start for Milan, helped the Diavolo through to the play-offs in the Europa League with a 3-2 win against Bodo/Glimt.
Bodo/Glimt wiger Jens Hauge impressed at San Siro and took advantage of sloppy defending when he found Kasper Junker in the middle to make it 1-0 after 15 minutes, but Hakan Calhanoglu made sure Milan bounced back with the equaliser only one minute later.
Hakan Calhanoglu’s brace and Lorenzo Colombo’s goal in his first start for Milan, helped the Diavolo through to the play-offs in the Europa League with a 3-2 win against Bodo/Glimt.
Bodo/Glimt wiger Jens Hauge impressed at San Siro and took advantage of sloppy defending when he found Kasper Junker in the middle to make it 1-0 after 15 minutes, but Hakan Calhanoglu made sure Milan bounced back with the equaliser only one minute later.
The Turkey international found space in the box and controlled the ball brilliantly before he smashed it under the cross bar to make it even.
Colombo, who had to start in the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, scored on his first start for the Rossoneri, when Calhanoglu extended a low pass to reach the 18-year-old, who made no mistakes in front of the goal and made sure the Diavolo were up 2-1 at half-time.
It seemed sealed when Calhanoglu added his second of the match after 50 minutes, as he combined with Samu Castillejo and scored a great goal from the edge of the area.
Five minutes after, the director of the first goal, Hauge, made sure Milan still had work to do. He won a challenge against Ismael Bennacer right outside the box and found a way past a perplexed Gigio Donnarumma with a quick strike.
Milan held out, also thanks to a sharp Donnarumma between the posts, as the visitors did not give up and kept pushing for the equaliser coming close to an upset in injury time.
Rio Ave beat Besiktas in their match and will face Milan in the next qualifying round of the Europa League.
Milan 3-2 Bodø/Glimt
Junker 15 (B/G), Calhanoglu 16, 50 (M), Colombo 32 (M), Hauge 55 (B/G)
Milan (4-2-3-1): Donnarrumma; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, Hernandez; Bennacer (Tonali 80), Kessie; Castillejo (Krunic 65), Calhanoglu, Saelemaekers; Colombo (Maldini 57)
Bodo/Glimt (4-3-3): Haikin; Sampsted (Solbakken 83), Moe, Lode, Bjorkan; Braustad Fet (Konradsen 65), Berg, Saltnes; Zinckernagel, Junker (Boniface 90), Hauge
Referee: Jovic (CRO)