ROSSONERI BEAT BOLOGNA AT HOME
Serie A
AC Milan are back on track after beating Bologna 2-0 on home turf. In front of over 70,000 spectators at San Siro, the Rossoneri took the lead through Leão and wrapped it up after half time through Olivier Giroud, who was set up by the Portuguese forward. AC Milan conceded very little at the back as they secured their first clean sheet of the season, with Maignan barely getting a touch. The Rossoneri were compact in defence and clinical going forward, taking advantage of the few chances afforded them by a resolute Bologna back line.
Pioli shuffled the pack in terms of personnel today, with Giroud and De Ketelaere both getting the nod to start, with the Frenchman playing the full 90 minutes. For Charles, meanwhile, it was the first start in Rossoneri colours and the Belgian even set up Leão to score the opener. Yacine Adli came on for the final 30 minutes as he made his debut for the Club and also came close to scoring, while Ballo-Touré also made his first start of the season. These three big points are vital as the Rossoneri head into a tough run of fixtures over the coming weeks. One step at a time, starting with Sassuolo on Tuesday at 18:30 CEST.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v BOLOGNA
MATCH REPORT
AC Milan started well controlling possession and getting numbers firmly into their opponent's half, but the game struggled to get going. Bologna tested us with two long-range efforts from Musa Barrow – in the 2nd and 7th minute – but Maignan was not troubled. In the 21st minute, however, De Ketelaere recovered possession and sprinted toward the goal, playing the ball out to Leão who surprised Skorupski at the near post with an accurate shot to give the Rossoneri the lead. AC Milan had the wind in their sails and built two more chances in the 26th and 28th minutes: first with Kalulu, who was denied by Skorupski, and then with Messias, whose right-footed cross was again blocked by the visitors' number 28. In the final minutes of the half, two chances were spurned by Giroud and Rafa and the first half ended at 1-0.
The Rossoblù also started the second half on the front foot. In the 52nd minute, Domínguez fired over from the edge of the box before Arnautović failed to get on the end of Cambiaso's cross (55'). Then, Giroud doused the guests' flame in the 58th minute: Leão lifted it into the box for the Frenchman, who scored a typically acrobatic goal to score the Rossoneri's second. Bologna dusted themselves off and attacked with renewed vigour. In the 68th minute, Sansone struck the post with a powerful effort from the edge of the box, which materialised following a smart free-kick routine. The latter stages of the game saw the Rossoneri control the game and slow down the tempo. Saelemaekers (70's) and Adli (85') tried to stamp their authority on the game but Skorupski denied them both. After three minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle and it ended 2-0 to Milan.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 2-0 BOLOGNA
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori (83' Gabbia), Hernández (74' Ballo-Touré); Bennacer (61' Adli), Tonali; Messias (61' Saelemaekers), De Ketelaere (61' Pobega), Leão; Giroud. Subs.: Mirante, Tătăruşanu; Florenzi, Kjær; Bakayoko, Díaz; Origi, Rebić. Coach: Pioli.
BOLOGNA (3-5-2): Skorupski; Soumaoro, Medel (74' Bonifazi), Lucumí; Kasius, Vignato (62' Soriano), Schouten (83' Ferguson), Domínguez (62' Aebischer), Cambiaso; Arnautović, Barrow (62' Sansone). Subs.: Bagnolini, Bardi; Amey, Angeli, De Silvestri, Lykogiannīs, Mbaye, Sosa; Urbanski; Raimondo. Coach: Mihajlović.
Referee: Manganiello from Pinerolo.
Goals: 21' Leão (M), 58' Giroud (M).
Booked: 56' Schouten (B), 66' Calabria (M), 86' Adli (M).
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