STALEMATE AT SAN SIRO: AC MILAN 1‑1 VERONA
Serie A
The fourth consecutive league win just wasn’t meant to be, as all the action against Hellas Verona at San Siro arrived in the first half and the game ended with a point for either side. Faraoni took Verona ahead after just 13 minutes, Çalhanoğlu drew AC Milan level after 29, and despite all of the Rossoneri’s efforts in the closing stages, they couldn’t quite find the winning goal this afternoon. Pioli’s side created plenty of chances, Castillejo striking the post the best of them all, but those few inches were simply the difference between a win and a draw today. Having started the second half well as they hit the post twice in quick succession, Hellas Verona successfully shut up shop after going down to ten men with an Amrabat red card in the 68th minute. Two highlights came as both Alexis Saelemakers and Daniel Maldini made their Rossoneri debuts in the final few minutes, Daniel becoming the third member of the Maldini dynasty to represent the Rossoneri after Cesare and Paolo’s legendary days with AC Milan. With this point, AC Milan climb to 32 points in the table, going into the Milan Derby next Sunday in eighth place, that much-awaited clash with Inter kicking off at 20:45 CET at San Siro.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM THE MATCH
MATCH REPORT
Just like against Udinese, the Rossoneri took an early setback as their opponents flew out the blocks and scored in the 13th minute thanks to Faraoni’s tap-in from a Zaccagni cross. After that first difficult period, the Rossoneri reacted mainly through Rebić: first threatening in the area, then with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box. The equaliser came through Çalhanoğlu on the 29-minute mark, his free kick deflecting off the wall and past Silvestri into the net. AC Milan then came to life and threatened regularly: Leão led a counterattack in the 31st minute, Castillejo took over and put Rebić through on goal, our Croatian took it round Silvestri but failed to convert the chance into a goal. Romagnoli also came close as his header grazed the post five minutes before half-time. At the start of the second half, Verona struck the post twice: first in the 52nd minute with Pessina’s glancing header from Lazović’s cross, and then in the 63rd minute with Zazzagni’s powerful left-footed shot from the centre of the area. A few minutes later, Amrabat’s sending off left Verona down to ten following an awful challenge on Castijello that was checked by Chiffi on VAR. Pioli then switched to a 4-3-3 by subbing on Paquetá and Saelemaekers. In the 76th minute Calabria’s cross from the right had to be cut out by Rrahmani. AC Milan were totally dominant and went close twice through Paquetá and then Castillejo, but Hellas’ defence held firm. It was one-way traffic in the final minutes: Castillejo hit the post from close range and Theo fired over the bar with the last kick of the game.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 1-1 VERONA
AC MILAN (4-4-2): Donnarumma G.; Calabria (77' Saelemeakers), Musacchio, Romagnoli, Hernández (64' Paquetá); Castillejo (93' Maldini), Kessie, Çalhanoğlu, Bonaventura; Rebić, Leão. Subs.: Begović, Donnarumma A.; Conti, Gabbia, Laxalt, Brescianini, Maldini. Coach: Pioli.
VERONA (3-4-2-1): Silvestri; Rrahmani, Kumbulla, Günter; Faraoni, Amrabat; Veloso, Lazović; Pessina, Zaccagni (94' Dawidowicz); Verre (70' Borini). Subs.: Berardi, Radunovic, Eysseric, Stępiński, Di Carmine, Pazzini, Bocchetti, Dimarco, Empereur, Adjapong. Coach: Jurić.
Referee: Chiffi from Padua.
Goals: 13' Faraoni (V), 29' Çalhanoğlu (M).
Booked: 24' Rrahmani (V), 45' Hernández (M), 92' Borini (V), 94' Silvestri (V).
Sent off: 68' Amrabat (V).
A reminder that tickets are now on sale for our Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus: buy your ticket now!
