A game-changing substitution was the plan for Milan. They did not count on the match-winner stepping off Manchester United's bench. Stefano Pioli was still to play his trump card 135 minutes into a Europa League last-16 tie in which Milan had been the better side.
The Rossoneri pressed United back in the first half at San Siro on Thursday, the visitors sloppy and submissive despite requiring a goal to advance.
The clear-cut chances still did not come for the home side, though. Five efforts before the break failed to cause Dean Henderson undue concern, a pattern all too familiar for Milan, who had 15 attempts at Old Trafford but waited until the last of them, in the 92nd minute, to equalise.Theo Hernandez and Hakan Calhanoglu had returned to the side for this return fixture but the man most likely to take the match away from United, a man they know well, was fit enough only for the bench.
Pioli said Zlatan Ibrahimovic, out since February, would feature but not for 90 minutes. The team sheet confirmed the role of impact substitute was Milan's preferred use of their talisman.
The only issue was that by the time Ibrahimovic returned to the fray, ready to torment his former team-mates, United had their goal and the game had changed .
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