COMFORTABLE WIN OVER CAGLIARI
Serie A
The Rossoneri overcame a potential stumbling block in Cagliari as they came from behind with great desire and personality. Though the game started on the wrong foot, our boys saw out a 3-1 win at the Unipol Domus. Okafor, Tomori and Loftus-Cheek got the goals to overturn Luvumbo's opener. This was AC Milan's fifth league win of the season and takes them to 15 points in the table. As we expected, it wasn't an easy game because Ranieri's side were combative and, once they took the lead, sat deep to try and thwart the Rossoneri's efforts. Ten minutes later, the equaliser calmed the nerves and allowed the team to play with more flair and freedom, adding a second and turning around in a few minutes.
It was a big reaction from our boys, who got an added boost from some of the new signings. Pulisic set up the first and Okafor finished it, Reijnders started the move to make it 3-1 and the Rossoneri's third was assisted by Pulisic and finished by Loftus-Cheek, inverting the roles from the goal at San Siro against Torino. Two new names on the scoresheet - Noah and Ruben - and a complete regista's performance from Yacine Adli at the base of midfield. So we got plenty of good signs against a side that needed points and confidence; playing in these games has often been a banana skin for AC Milan but the boys proved their superiority. They also managed the minutes to a few players ahead of Saturday's game against Lazio at San Siro.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM CAGLIARI v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
At the Unipol Domus, AC Milan started strongly and looked to break through Ranieri’s fortress from the off: within two minutes Reijnders had advanced forward and struck one with his right that just drifted away past the far post. Adli was in inspired form and awarded Reijnders run into the box with a lovely pass, who, from the byline, hooked the ball into the box only for Okafor to head over from close range. Chukwueze on twelve minutes found Loftus-Cheek free in the box, but the Englishman was unable to turn and get his shot away quickly enough. The first real golden chance of the game came after 28' when a nice move ended with Okafor free, but from the edge of the box the Swiss shot too centrally. On the break, the home side produced their first real opening and took the lead: Nández nicked the ball off Adli, played in Luvumbo, who smashed powerfully high into the net from close range to make it 1-0. After the goal, Cagliari closed off every space available until the 40th minute, when the Rossoneri found the equaliser: Pulisic got away down the left, put a ball in that Radunović could not keep hold of and on the rebound there was Okafor to get his first goal as a milanista. A few minutes later and, after Chukwueze’s left-footed effort went over, the game was turned on its head through Tomori’s goal, who from a short corner prodded home from a few yards out following a bit of magic from Reijnders.
Cagliari started the second half off with an improved tempo and almost grabbed an equaliser. The Rossoneri struggled to keep hold of the ball, with the Sardinians threatening on 56’ when Luvumbo's clean strike towards goal, from Petagna’s layoff, saw Adli save the day after being in the right place at the right time. A few minutes later, under the most pressure of the game, we found our third, and the game’s fourth, on the hour mark through Loftus-Cheek, who on receiving a ball from Pulisic drilled home accurately into the bottom-right corner from 25 metres out. It was a great goal, an absolute beauty. Ruben’s finish killed off any spirit the home side’s attack had, moving the game into our control. On 65 minutes, Okafor pounced on a ball won back and shot from the edge of the area, which went over. Again from distance, three minutes later, it was Musah’s turn to try hs luck with a right-footed effort that was well saved low down by Radunović. In the closing stages, Sportiello was called into action following a great piece of individual play from Oristanio, who controlled the ball, turned and fired a shot on target that tested our keeper’s reflexes. The final push forward by the home side failed to bring any concerns to the Rossoneri defence and it ended 3-1 to AC Milan!
MATCH DETAILS
CAGLIARI 1-3 AC MILAN
CAGLIARI (3-5-2): Radunović; Wieteska (46' Oristanio), Dossena, Hatzīdiakos; Zappa (81' Di Pardo), Nández, Makoumbou (84' Deiola), Sulemana (67' Viola), Augello; Petagna (67' Shomurodov), Luvumbo. Subs: Aresti, Scuffet; Azzi, Goldaniga, Obert; Prati; Pavoletti. Coach: Ranieri.
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Sportiello; Florenzi, Thiaw, Tomori, Hernández (84' Bartesaghi); Loftus-Cheek, Adli (59' Pobega), Reijnders (59' Musah); Chukwueze (69' Romero), Okafor, Pulisic (69' Leão). Subs: Mirante, Nava; Calabria, Kjær, Pellegrino; Giroud. Coach: Pioli.
Referee: La Penna from Roma.
Goals: 29' Luvumbo (C), 40' Okafor (M), 46' Tomori (M), 60' Loftus-Cheek (M).
Booked: 42' Wieteska (C), 48' Loftus-Cheek (M), 53' Zappa (C), 79' Oristanio (C).
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