Ill-stricken Carranza avoids extra time at Milan by scoring goal to send Feyenoord to last 16

MILAN (AP) — Recovering from illness, Feyenoord forward Julián Carranza knew that even after coming on as a late substitute he would struggle to play extra time against AC Milan.

And he managed to avoid that the only way he could — by scoring the goal that sent his team into the Champions League last 16.

Carranza’s 73rd minute header secured a 1-1 draw against 10-man Milan at San Siro on Tuesday and saw Feyenoord advance 2-1 on aggregate.

“I was really sick and I still feel really sick,” Carranza said after the match. “To be honest, (extra time) was going to be really hard for me. Because the 25 minutes that I played, or 30, I was not feeling great.

“And I think everyone could see it, because after every single sprint I was coughing, and I was not feeling great. I just needed to score (so) there was no extra time. So that’s what happened,” the Argentinian added with a laugh.

Carranza was brought off the bench in the 64th minute, with Milan leading 1-0 — following a goal from former Feyenoord forward Santiago Giménez after 40 seconds — but also at a numerical disadvantage after the dismissal of Rossoneri defender Theo Hernandez.

Not PARSE.LY: Soccer

MLS Embarks on 30th year with a 30th team, a crowded schedule and, yes, more Messi

 

Inter Milan goalie Yann Sommer injures thumb ahead of key Serie A and Champions League games

 

Spain’s ex-soccer official Luis Rubiales fined more than 10,000 euros for unsolicited kiss of player

 

And the 24-year-old Carranza, who has played for Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union in MLS, headed in Hugo Bueno’s cross nine minutes later.

“So far, I think it’s the most important goal I’ve ever scored, so I’m really happy for that,” said Carranza, who had a fever the night before.

It was the first time Feyenoord had reached the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition since it became the Champions League.

The Dutch team won the old European Cup in 1970, beating Celtic 2-1 after extra time — coincidentally at San Siro.

Feyenoord hailed another historic occasion at the iconic stadium on its social media accounts.

And Feyenoord could be making a swift return to San Siro as it will play either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the round of 16, with the first leg on March 4 or 5 and the second the following week.

Also in the last 16 is Liverpool, whose manager Arne Slot is a former Feyenoord coach.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer