AC MILAN SUNK BY BELOTTI'S BRACE
Serie A
It's difficult to accept the result and it's difficult to understand what exactly happened as disaster struck in the second half. AC Milan's first-half performance in Turin was excellent, with the Rossoneri taking a precious lead into half-time thanks to Piątek's penalty. However, the hosts managed to summon up the strength to turn the game around and come away with a 2-1 victory after two quick-fire goals from Belotti. This was a very painful double blow, also because it resulted in the Diavolo's second consecutive defeat and third loss this season. And also because the Rossoneri played their best football since the start of the campaign for large spells at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. This was an undeserved defeat. With AC Milan starting to drop off slightly after their initial dominance, the Granata grew into the game and were ruthless. A bit of luck was missing too during key moments of the match, like Sirigu's save at the death for example. The chances that the Diavolo missed in stoppage time really were huge opportunities to come away with something. Following this matchday five clash, Coach Giampaolo's team remain on six points in the league, three points away from the Champions League spot.
SEE THE GALLERY FROM TORINO V AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
The Rossoneri began the match brightly and the first real chance of the game came in the tenth minute, when a Hakan Çalhanoğlu free kick flew just wide. In the 18th minute, the Rossoneri took the lead: Rafael Leão was brought down in the box by Lorenzo De Silvestri and Krzysztof Piątek confidently dispatched from the penalty spot. Two minutes later, Franck Kessié fired just wide before Salvatore Sirigu produced a magnificent save to keep out Leão's header with 22 minutes on the clock. AC Milan were piling on the pressure as Çalhanoğlu forced the Torino goalkeeper to make another save with a long-range snapshot after 24 minutes. In the 42nd minute, Krzysztof had another effort on goal but just missed the target. However, for all of AC Milan’s dominance, the Diavolo almost conceded seconds before the half-time whistle: a ball over the top caught Gigio Donnarumma out and Andrea Belotti failed to hit the target with the goal gaping.
After the restart, the Rossoneri came inches away from doubling their lead iin the 54th minute: Alessio Romagnoli launched a quick counter-attack and picked out Piątek in the box, but the latter's first-time strike went wide of the post. After this, the level of the Rossoneri's performance dropped somewhat, and Giampaolo’s side were made to pay in the 72nd minute as Belotti beat Donnarumma with a powerful strike from the edge of the box. And things got worse for the Rossoneri in the 76th minute: the same Italian forward found the net with an overhead kick after Donnarumma had got his hands to Zaza's effort. With the match coming to an end, both sides had glorious chances to score: Kessié couldn't keep the ball down just yards away from the Granata goal before Zaza slipped at the vital moment when it looked certain he'd make it 3-1. Finally, Sirigu somehow managed to get in the way of Piątek's header in what was the final opportunity of the game.
TORINO 2-1 AC MILAN
TORINO (3-4-1-2): Sirigu; Izzo, Lyanco (57' Ansaldi), Bremer; De Silvestri, Baselli, Rincón, Aina (83' Djidji); Verdi (66' Berenguer); Zaza, Belotti. Subs: Rosati, Ujkani; Bonifazi, Laxalt, Nkoulou; Meïté; Edera, Falque, Millico. Coach: Mazzarri.
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Donnarumma G.; Calabria, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Hernández; Kessié, Bennacer (78' Rebić), Çalhanoğlu; Suso, Piątek, Leão (65' Bonaventura). Subs: Donnarumma A., Reina; Conti, Duarte, Gabbia, Rodríguez; Biglia, Krunić; Borini, Castillejo. Coach: Giampaolo.
Referee: Guida from Torre Annunziata.
Goals: 18' Piątek (M), 72' e 76' Belotti (T).
Booked: 8' Lyanco (T), 21' Bennacer (M), 31' Zaza (T), 33' Belotti (T), 63' Hernández (M), 72' Romagnoli (M), 77' Donnarumma (M), 81' Aina (T).
Sent off: 72' Reina (M).
