MILAN: Tijjani Reijnders made sure AC Milan got their Champions League campaign up and running with a brace in Tuesday's 3-1 win over 10-man Club Brugge at the San Siro.
Netherlands midfielder Reijnders stroked home two fine finishes in the 61st and 71st minute to give Milan their first points in this year's revamped competition.
Before Reijnders struck Milan had struggled to deal with Brugge, who had levelled Christian Pulisic's opening goal -- netted straight from a 34th-minute corner -- through Kyriani Sabbe six minutes after the break.
At that point Brugge, who stay on three points, were down to 10 men as Raphael Onyedika was shown a straight red card in the 40th minute for accidentally stamping on Reijnders' ankle.
Reijnders' two goals, both classy first-time strikes, were almost outshone by a beautiful late header from 16-year-old Francesco Camarda.
The promising youngster whipped off his shirt and slid on his knees in joy at becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in the history of the Champions League, only to see his superbly taken goal rightly ruled for offside.
Tuesday's win was big for Milan as the seven-time European champions have to travel to Real Madrid in their next continental fixture and anything but three points at the San Siro could have put at risk their qualification for the knockout phase.
As at the weekend Tuesday's match was largely played in front of a flat crowd as Milan's hardcore ultras again stood in silence, this time in protest at high ticket prices which have infuriated both ultras and regular supporters.
Fans were stunned to see the cheapest general sale tickets for Milan's upcoming domestic fixture against Juventus priced at 100 euros, with the highest 479 euros.
The major supporters club AIMC, which is affiliated with Milan and brings together tens of thousands of fans, blasted the club for its ticketing policy which it claims is favouring "rich foreign tourists or casual fans".
Only 58,649 people showed up for Tuesday's match, way down on the more than 70,000 fans that usually pack into San Siro for both Milan and Inter's Serie A matches.
"We're not cows to be milked, we're not just here to fill the stadium for the lesser matches, we're not just here to fill the club museum or San Siro's car parks with 120 coaches every time we play at home," said AIMC in an angry statement released on Tuesday.
Fans will watch with interest developments in the latest joint efforts with Inter Milan to build a new stadium near the current San Siro which was announced earlier on Tuesday.
One of the criticisms of the previous project which was abandoned by the two clubs last year was a drastic reduction in capacity and increase in high-priced hospitality seating. - AFP