Liverpool beaten 4-2 by AC Milan in Hong Kong pre-season friendly

Rafael Leao scored from a Christian Pulisic pass to give the Rossoneri the lead from the 10th minute

Pre-Season Friendly - Liverpool v AC Milan - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - July 26, 2025 AC Milan's Rafael Leao scores their first goal REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

AC Milan beat Liverpool 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong on Saturday as the Premier League club's record signing Florian Wirtz made his first start for them.

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath before the game and the players had "Diogo J 20" on their shirts in honour of their former teammate Diogo Jota, who died along with his brother Andre Silva in a car accident in Spain this month.

The English champions fell behind in the 10th minute when Rafael Leao scored from a Christian Pulisic pass. Dominik Szoboszlai levelled 20 minutes later with a curling shot from the edge of the box following an assist by Rio Ngumoha who latched onto a long ball from Ryan Gravenberch.

Leao orchestrated a devastating counter-attack as Milan reclaimed the lead early in the second half. The Portuguese winger powered past Conor Bradley on the left flank and squared for Ruben Loftus-Cheek who fired home from inside the box.

Noah Okafor added Milan's third in the 60th minute.

Cody Gakpo nodded in a stoppage-time consolation for Liverpool before Okafor walked in his second following a bad mix-up between Kostas Tsimikas and new Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili who had rushed out of his box.

Mamardashvili replaced Alisson Becker in the second half, while Milan's new defender Pervis Estupinan, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, also made his debut.

Wirtz and Ngumoha were the standouts for Liverpool in the first half, and Jeremie Frimpong impressed in the second but Arne Slot's team were outplayed by their Italian opponents.