AC Milan vs Newcastle LIVE: Champions League result and final score as Nick Pope saves deny hosts

Twenty years ago, Newcastle United went to the San Siro and came away with a draw. Two decades later and, in their first Champions League away match since, Eddie Howe’s side just about managed to hang on in order to repeat the feat. A goalless draw against AC Milan lacked the scoreline of that previous 2-2 against Inter in 2003, but given the dominance of the Italian side and the sheer amount of their chances the hosts wasted, this will go down as a valuable point on Newcastle’s long-awaited return to Europe’s top table.

Whether it is enough in a group that also contains Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund feels like a separate issue, and whether, in time, the Premier League side may regret not doing more to try and take three, but even asking that question is a sign of how much has changed in 20 years.

Rafael Leao was guilty of an incredible miss which let Newcastle off the hook as their Champions League opener at AC Milan finished goalless.

The Portugal international, who was Newcastle star Sandro Tonali’s team-mate at San Siro until his £53million summer switch to Tyneside, completely fluffed his lines with only goalkeeper Nick Pope to beat after attempting an audacious flick at the end of a stunning 34th-minute run and only succeeded in tripping himself.

Pope will feel he had already earned his slice of good fortune after making five first-half saves in the space of six minutes to pave the way for a 0-0 draw which banked a priceless first point for the Magpies’ Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of 20 years.

Newcastle will come away happy with that result. Based on the stats they should have lost that game heavily but Nick Pope was brilliant in goal and kept them in the game.

Sean Longstaff almost nicked the three points right at the end of the game too.

There’s plenty for Eddie Howe to work on over the coming weeks but tonight’s match made it clear that Newcastle’s home games are crucial if they’re to get through to the knockouts.

There’ll be a bit of reaction coming up from the San Siro but now our focus is heading to Manchester where Pep Guardiola’s Champions League winners get their campaign started when they take on Red Star Belgrade.

You can follow this game right here:

90+5 mins: Newcastle push right at the end of the match for a winner with Sean Longstaff smoking a good effort at goal only for Marco Sportiello to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The whistle goes after Milan deal with the corner and the points are shared in Milan. It’s a decent start to their Champions League campaign for Eddie Howe’s men.

They’ll be looking at winning this contest when they play each other at St. James’ Park.

90+3 mins: Kieran Trippier hustles across the pitch and times a sliding tackle to perfection to stop Milan from getting any further on the counter-attack.

Two minutes left in the game. Newcastle are fully playing for a point now.

90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play at the end of this half as Milan win themselves a corner.

Pulisic takes it but Harvey Barnes, now on the pitch, manages to shuffle it away from the penalty area under pressure from Theo Hernandez.

87 mins: Shot! Newcastle push high up the pitch but lose the ball to Olivier Girioud who carries it the full length of the pitch. He’s got options on both sides but decides to go for goal himself and smokes a left-footed effort straight into the hands of Nick Pope.

84 mins: Kieran Trippier lifts a long free kick into the box for Newcastle and looks for Dan Burn who rises above his marker without too much trouble.

Burn’s header isn’t the best and goes wide of the nearest post.