AC Milan triumphed over Liverpool with a 4-2 victory in a pre-season friendly held in Hong Kong on Saturday. The match, played at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium, saw AC Milan showcase an impressive counter-attacking performance.

Before the game commenced, a touching tribute was paid to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, with Liverpool's players wearing black armbands and jerseys bearing Jota's name. A mosaic reading 'DJ 20' was displayed on one side of the stadium, and former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath.

The match itself started with high energy. Rafael Leao drew first blood for AC Milan in the 10th minute, capitalizing on a pass from Christian Pulisic. Liverpool responded with Dominik Szoboszlai scoring a wonderful goal from the edge of the box, leveling the score.

AC Milan regained their lead in the second half with a goal from Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Leao played a crucial role in the build-up, outpacing Conor Bradley on the left before assisting Loftus-Cheek. Noah Okafor further extended Milan's lead, making it 3-1 in the 60th minute. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo scored a consolation goal in stoppage time with a header, but Okafor quickly responded with his second goal, sealing the victory for AC Milan. A mix-up between Kostas Tsimikas and Liverpool's new goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, allowed Okafor to capitalize.

Liverpool's starting XI included Alisson Becker, making his first pre-season appearance. New signing Florian Wirtz also made his first start for Liverpool. The team fielded by Arne Slot was almost entirely different in each half. Mamardashvili replaced Alisson Becker in the second half, while AC Milan's new defender Pervis Estupinan, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, also made his debut.

This defeat marks a setback for Liverpool in their pre-season preparations. They will now travel to Japan to continue their tour, with a friendly match against Yokohama F. Marinos scheduled for Wednesday. Meanwhile, AC Milan demonstrated their strength with a well-deserved victory.