Sluga pumps it downfield to Zapata who returns with a long volley - and the referee blows for full-time! Rijeka have beaten AC Milan in the Europa League!
90' +2
A long ball headed for Cutrone flies past the striker's attempted half-volley and out for a goal-kick. Into the final minute...
90'
Three added minutes on the way here. It's been a long night for Milan - and a fabulous one for Rijeka. This will live long in the memory for the club, surely.
89'
Offside against Calabria now as he takes a cross out wide on the right from Biglia and looks to turn it in himself. Milan are running out of time to get on the scoresheet here - though they don't really deserve it as such.
88'
Despite a shove from Abate in the back, Vesovic manages to hold off the Milan man in order to usher the long ball down the left out for a goal kick.
86'
C. Mavrias enters the game and replaces Z. Kvržić.
The final change for the hosts now; Kvrzic is replaced by Charalampos Mavrias, to warm applause from the fans.
84'
Forte takes a ball on the half-volley 20 yards out in front from Locatelli, pivots, and blasts his shot just over the roof of the net, much to his frustration.
82'
Back-to-back corners once more for Milan and again Sluga is able to ward off their attempts, clearing his line once more. The Rijeka keeper is playing a fine game at the back tonight, even if he is yet to be truly tested with less than ten minutes left.
81'
M. Črnic enters the game and replaces M. Gavranović.
And now second goalscorer Gavranovic makes way for Matic Crnic for the hosts.
80'
R. Forte enters the game and replaces L. Antonelli.
Milan make a second change, with Antonelli off and Riccardo Forte on.
Minute
Description
78'
M. Locatelli gets yellow.
A booking for Locatelli too for that challenge that led to the free kick,
77'
Free kick now for the visitors - in almost the same place that Puljic scored from, 25 yards out or so on the left - after a high tackle from Puncec. Biglia takes - and just pulls it wide to the left! It was a gorgeous strike too, just skirting the wrong side of the post.
76'
R. Punčec enters the game and replaces M. Acosty.
Acosty is Rijeka's first change and Roberto Puncec takes his place.
74'
I. Abate enters the game and replaces N. Zanellato.
A change for Milan now too, as Zanellato is replaced by Abate with just over 15 minutes of regular time left on the clock.
Now it's Cutrone's turn to growl in frustration as the Milan forward butchers his attempeted volley into the top corner following a Calabria cross in from the right. The striker is less than happy with his miss, to put it mildly.
72'
Seconds later, Zanellato tries to tap onto a long ball from Biglia, only to be caught by the linesman's flag.
71'
Zanellato turns in a cross from the extreme right edge of the Milan flank, looking for Silva by the far left post; the ball dips too soon though and lands in the hands of Sluga.
69'
Another corner to Milan now, turned in by Biglia, that comes to nothing as Elez ships it downfield with a half-volley clearance.
67'
The kick swings in, only to deflect off the Milan wall and Zanellato nips out to pick up possession and steer the ball away from danger.
66'
L. Antonelli gets yellow.
Free-kick to Rijeka now, 45 yards out on the right after Antonelli clatters Puljic to the ground. Acosty will take...
65'
Elez looks to push a ball wide on the right flank for Acosty with a crossfield effort, only for Biglia to read it well and come up with the interception.
63'
Milan are starting to bring a bit more intent to their attack, as Cutrone tries to connect with a long ball from Antonelli that Sluga tips out instead. There's a touch more rhythm over the past five minutes to their attacking approach.
61'
Zhuta sneaks down the left wing for Rijeka again and looks to swing the ball back inside for Puljic, only finding the keeper instead as his tight shot is squeezed out.
59'
Milan get a free-kick on halfway thanks to a late tackle from Elez on Locatelli, yet they are unable to make much of it; the lumped long ball goes straight to Zuparic and the hosts clear it out methodically again.
57'
Back to back corners after Antonelli encroaches on the box during a second lapse in the Rijeka back four and Zhutic is forced to deflect his shot out - and then after Sluga fails to retain the ball after a glancing touch before it heads dead again. The keeper collects, unfazed, and the hosts play themselves slowly out of danger again.
55'
Free-kick on the left edge of the Rijeka box now though as Calabria is fouled by Zhuta. The winger swings it in for Milan - and Sluga punches the ball back into play, to Acosty and away from danger.
53'
Antonelli goes chasing a nice through-ball down the left for Milan, only for his first touch to push it out for a throw under little pressure. There's been some poor ball control tonight from the visitors that they are definitely rueing.
51'
Vesovic goes close! The defender pushes a ball through a cluttered box from twenty yards out on the right and it takes a deflection that spins out heading towards goal, forcing Paletta to scramble to deal with the danger.
49'
Gattuso has the face of a man who has just been told the sky isn't blue. He looks absolutely stunned and aghast in equal measure - and his team aren't faring much better. Rijeka have started fast again and have made a napping Milan pay with their second score.
47'
M. Gavranović has scored a goal for Rijeka! Assist by Z. Kvržić.
Assist Zoran Kvržić
Never mind holding onto that lead, they've only gone and doubled it! It's an excellent Rijeka goal as Kvrzic cuts deep on the left, brings it to the lip of the box and puts a square pass in for Gavranovic between two defenders, who pivots and pushes the ball in by the far right post with a sharp finish that cuts around Storari. 2-0 to the hosts.
46'
We're back underway in Croatia - can Rijeka finish off their European season with a famous win? They've got 45 minutes to hold onto their lead.
45'
Antonelli turns it in across the face of goal and it beats everyone, scuffled out eventually for a goal-kick by a loose Milan boot. Sluga will punt it deep - and the referee blows for half-time!
43'
M. Maleš gets yellow.
Free-kick to Milan now - and it's in a good position too, on the extreme right edge of the Rijeka box as Males fouls Silva. It's a yellow card for the defender and the visitors have a great chance to strike back now.
42'
Offside against Antonelli now as the winger looks to sneak onto a Biglia long ball delivered over the heads of the Rijeka defence.
40'
Five minutes or so left in the first half and Milan are stringing together better attacks - yet Rijeka are still looking every bit as good as their opponents and are worthy of their lead. Will they hold on until the whistle?
38'
What a chance for Milan! Zapata plays a great short cross on the right flank into the box for Cutrone, who makes a great connection. The striker tries to lift it over the keeper's head and into the bottom left corner - but he doesn't quite get the dip that he wants and it hits the top of the netting instead.
36'
Zapata cuts off a move on the left from Kvrzic as the winger looks to slip back in field from the edge and the defender clips the ball back to Storari to collect and see off any danger.
34'
Acosty gets a wonderful break down the right wing and cuts back inside as he comes up on the edge of the box, looking to pop off a shot; only, he slips under pressure from Romagnoli and Milan sweep the ball away.
32'
André Silva gets yellow.
Silva comes together with Zuparic and the referee has had enough with the Milan discipline, issuing a yellow card to the striker.
31'
Puljic is furious with himself there! The goalscorer latches onto a beauty of a Vesovic cross looped cleverly into the box and he rises above two defenders to get the touch; only for it to be rather more rudimentary an effort than he hoped as he steers it well wide by the far left post.
29'
A rare lapse at the back for Rijeka now, which allows a neat chip from Locatelli to encroach into the penalty area. Sluga does well as Silva and Cutrone both go for the header, the keeper reaching around the former to palm the ball to ground and out of the way.
27'
Rijeka get another free-kick in their own half now after a Milan foul, and they play it wide and long for Gavranovic to chase down the left flank. He gets the first touch and nearly outsmarts Zapata round the back - but he runs out of space before he can turn a cross in and the visitors get the goal-kick.
25'
This is worrying so far for Milan; they look bloated in midfield and are resorting to hoofing the ball out long on most attacks in order to cut round the Rijeka defence. With five men in midfield, it's an approach that lacks their trademark finesse of old, to put it mildly.
23'
Free-kick now to Rijeka, deep in their own half as Antonelli pushes Vesovic off the ball whilst challenging round the edge of the box and then tries to claim a trip on himself.
21'
Milan thread their best move of the game so far together, with a Biglia through ball timed brilliantly crossfield from left to right for Cutrone; only for Sluga to hare off his line and slide in to claim neatly.
19'
Locatelli pushes through the midfield now on the left, looking to square up a through ball for Silva - only for the power behind the strike to be somewhat lacking and the move to trickle out with a Rijeka interception.
17'
Acosty lofts a shot from 25 yards out on the right corner, trying to slip it over Storari who has ventured off his line; he gets the angle wrong and furthermore goes down under a soft challenge and tries to milk a free-kick which the referee has none of.
15'
Biglia pushes a long ball downfield again, looking to lift it over the Rijeka defence to Cutrone; the striker's touch is haphazard at best and the keeper sees it out for a goal-kick.
13'
What was Milan's defence doing there? Rijeka swing it wide and deep to Acosty on the far right edge of the box, who heads back unmarked to Puljic - and only a mishit of his attempted volley saves the visitors from being two down within quarter of an hour.
12'
Zapata is forced to cut across his own box at double speed to shut down Gavranovic and the ball squirts out of the tackle for a corner.
11'
Milan now get a throw in the Rijeka half, out on the right, yet it is squandered by Zanellato cheaply, pushing it into the path of Kvrzic who spirits it downfield for the hosts.
9'
What a start for the hosts, and what a strike from Puljic. Rijeka are out in front and the crowd is in full voice. Milan look somewhat shell-shocked - and though they try to lump a long ball down the left for Andre Silva, the striker is too sluggish to respond and it goes out for a goal kick.
7'
J. Puljić has scored a goal for Rijeka!
Oh, what an absolute beauty of a goal! Puljic floats his free kick over the Milan wall, dipping it into the top-left corner with a wonderful curl. Storari is caught completely out of place, slack-jawed and Rijeka have the lead as their players wheel away in celebration.
5'
Foul now by Zapata 25 yards out on the left and Rijeka have a free-kick now. Puljic to take as Milan mass up their wall...
3'
Now the hosts push downfield themselves, slipping a ball through the right edge of the box via Vesovic. Acosty looks to play it around Paletta; the defender manages to outmuscle him and force the ball back to his own keeper to collect.
1'
We're underway in Croatia! Rijeka are playing from left to right, in all white; Milan are decked out in black. It's the hosts who push forwards first, clipping down the right with Calabria, though he can't quite land his cross to Cutrone and Sluga collects with ease.
Hello and welcome to the final matchweek of the group stages of the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League as eliminated Rijeka look to cap off a difficult continental campaign against Group D winners AC Milan. The Italian outfit are already assured of a place in the round of 32, and will hope to finish undefeated against their Croatian rivals – but do the Whites have a trick up their sleeve to spoil the party? Kick-off is just around the corner.
With just the one win in the tournament, against Austria Wien back in October, the hosts will be hopeful of claiming their biggest ever European scalp tonight. They went close to reaching the Champions League pre-season, missing out against Olympiacos in the play-off round – and defeats to all other teams in their group mean that, though on a points basis they could still technically qualify for the knockout round, the head-to-head tiebreakers exclude them. Tonight is a matter of pride for the Croatian champions; and they hope to shock their big name opposition at the Stadion Rujevica.
As for Milan, they have found themselves in Europe’s second tier competition for the first time since 2009 this year, when they tangled with Braga and Portsmouth. They succumbed on away goals to Werder Bremen in the knockout stages that time round, but will be hoping to transcend difficult domestic form and advance here in good form. It is club legend Gennaro Gattuso’s first European game in charge; the former defensive midfielder was a part of the side that won the Champions League way back in 2007 against Liverpool.
Rijeka pushed Milan close at the San Siro in September of course, with two late goals from Boadu Acosty and Josip Elaz in the last six minutes of regular time levelling it up, the latter a controversial penalty. They let it slip at the death though; Patrick Cutrone scored the winner in the 94th minute to break Croatian hearts and make it back-to-back European defeats for the visitors. Tonight, they look for sweet revenge – but know they must overcome a defence that has conceded only a third as many goals as their own across the competition.
Rijeka have also never beaten Italian opposition in competitive football; their only other match being a two-legged tie against Juventus in the quarter finals of the 1979/80 European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals (0-0 and 0-2). As for Milan, they have played teams from Croatia before – though rather, they were part of Yugoslavia then, when they met Dinamo Zagreb in 1973.
Team news now in as we approach kick-off in Croatia...
AC MILAN (3-5-2): Storari, Zapata, Paletta, Romagnoli, Zanellato, Biglia, Antonelli, Calabria, Locatelli, Silva, Cutrone
Teams are out and we're seconds away from kick-off...
This may be a dead rubber match for both sides but it's clear that it means something to the hosts; Rijeka lead having out-enthused their visitors for 45 minutes, thanks to a wonderful early goal from Jakov Puljic, taken from a free-kick just outside the box. Milan have looked sluggish throughout; yet signs are there that they're beginning to spark as this game goes on. Half-time in Croatia, it's Rijeka 1-0 AC Milan.
In terms of the table, it may have meant nothing, with the hosts out and the visitors through - yet as Rijeka's players, some in tears, applaud the crowd and celebrate with their arms linked together, it's almost like they've won a cup final. Their 36 percent possession speaks of a performance where they limited Milan chances and made the most of their own - with two early goals in each half proving the difference from Puljic and Gavranovic. It's a deserved win for them - a final foray into Europe for the year capped off with a famous win. Full-time in Croatia, it finishes Rijeka 2-0 AC Milan.
That may be the end of the road for Rijeka put AC Milan will have to pull themselves together; they head to the round of 32 alongside Athens from Group D after they held Austria Wien to a draw tonight. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a good weekend!
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