Inauspicious Milan debut for Onyewu
by Paul Kennedy, Thursday, Jul 23, 2009 2:01 AM ET www.socceramerica.com
[WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE] The Georgia Dome's second 50,000-plus crowd in a month watched American Oguchi Onyewu make his debut for Italian club AC Milan on Wednesday. It was an inauspicious debut, however, as Onyewu was the defender beaten on Club America's first goal -- well-taken by Enrique Esqueda -- 10 minutes after entering the game and the Mexican club went win, 2-1.
Onyewu, who signed as a free agent following a strong Confederations Cup and practiced with Milan for the first time on Tuesday, came on for Alessandro Nesta after halftime, but Esqueda sneaked behind him to put away Salvador Cabanas' well-placed cross.
"I think it was very fast for him because he arrived yesterday and had to play today," said Milan coach Leonardo. "It's not easy to arrive and get to know the group and know the system we play, but he's very positive, a very good guy. We are very happy with his arrival."
Filippo Inzaghi equalized for Milan with an opportunistic goal, but Daniel Marquez's header six minutes from time again exposed the middle of the Milan defense in the air and gave America its second win over an Italian club in four days.
The Eagles opened play in the World Football Challenge with a shootout win over Inter Milan on Sunday at Stanford Stadium.
July 22 in Atlanta
Club America 2 AC Milan 1.
Goals: Esqueda 55, Marquez 84; Inzaghi 65.
Club America --Navarrete, Cerda (Garcia, 90), Rojas, Mosquera (Inigo, 82), Rodriguez; Reyna, Sanchez, Carlos Silva (Kontogiannis, 90), Beausejour (Martinez, 65); Esqueda (Chitiva, 79), Cabanas (Marquez, 69).
AC Milan -- Storari, Antonini (Zambrotta, 68), Nesta (Onyewu, 46), Favalli, Jankulovski; Gattuso (Strasser, 75), Seedorf (Abate, 55), Flamini (Ikande, 79), Zigoni, Inzaghi, Ronaldinho.
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