ROSSONERI HELD BY SALERNITANA AT SAN SIRO
Serie A
It's a bad draw. AC Milan needed a big result in what is becoming an increasingly tight race for Champions League football but were held by Salernitana at San Siro. It ended 1-1 on a weekend that had looked to be a good one for the Rossoneri given that Inter, Roma and Atalanta all dropped points. Still, AC Milan did manage to overtake the Giallorossi to move into fourth place on 48 points. It wasn't an easy game and the Granata made life difficult for the hosts. Giroud's goal on the stroke of half time seemed like it would be enough for the win but as it turned out, Dia denied the Rossoneri all three points.
The Diavolo left a lot to be desired in attack and gave the Granata too much room. In any case, Pioli's side kept at it until the end but for all their effort they lacked accuracy, killer instinct and luck, with Ochoa in fine form and VAR overturning a penalty decision in favour of the Rossoneri. Following Fiorentina, there was an expectation for an upturn but spending so much energy in London in the Champions League in midweek was always going to take its toll. Let's keep going and pick ourselves up, now is not the time to let heads drop. It's a quick turnaround as AC Milan travel to the Dacia Arena on Saturday to take on Udinese in the final game before the international break.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v SALERNITANA
MATCH REPORT
It wasn't an easy start for AC Milan, against a responsive opponent, but they soon took control of proceedings: Bennacer’s free-kick got deflected over by the wall after 14' and Leão flashed a shot across goal. Just before the half-hour mark, Giroud came ever so close to opening the scoring with a spectacular overhead-kick that went inches over the bar. There was a scare five minutes later, though, when a Bennacer lost possession, after good pressing, putting Maignan in difficulty; Bohinen picked up the ball, laid it off to Kastanos who had time to pick his spot, but a timely block by Krunić took it wide of the post for a corner. Two minutes before the end of regular time, Thiaw gave the ball away on the halfway line leaving a run through on goal for Dia, but he was unable to get past Maignan, who came out with an vital interception to stop him. And they were to pay, because in first-half stoppage time Giroud broke the deadlock; from Bennacer’s corner, Olivier held off his defender and headed home without even jumping to give Ochoa no chance. With the scoring opened, the two sides went into the break.
The Rossoneri started the second half by keeping the ball and showing a few flashes of brilliance.And after 52 minutes, they nearly doubled their lead: Bennacer drove forward through the middle of the park, eventually unleashing a left-footed cross-come-shot that Leão just couldn’t direct on target. Salernitana, though, grew into the half and gained some belief, thanks to Candreva’s right-footed shot, that was well-saved by Maignan, and an equalising goal just after the hour mark: Bohinen for Bradarić, who then squared to an unmarked Dia to slot home from 6 yards. An immediate response by the home side saw Bennacer again dangerous after 65 minutes, but his effort from the edge of the area flew just over. Five minutes later, the game’s talking point came: referee La Penna awarded AC Milan a penalty for a foul on Bennacer, but it was quickly overturned after a VAR check. Another chance came 15 minutes from the end when neither Ibrahimović nor Origi, in particular, could get the ball over the line from close range, with Ochoa saving. The urge to find a winner nearly cost the Diavolo dearly, with Maignan having to block well from Piątek after 82 minutes. Then, in a blistering end, an unbelievable last-gasp defensive block off the line from Gyömbér and Ochoa stopped Florenzi from bagging on his return. Finally, it was Ochoa again who said no to Ibrahimović with a save deep into stoppage time. The final whistle arrived, it ended 1-1.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 1-1 SALERNITANA
AC MILAN (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Thiaw, Tomori; Saelemaekers (77' Florenzi), Bennacer (85' Tonali), Krunić, Hernández; Díaz (62' De Ketelaere), Leão (62' Origi); Giroud (62' Ibrahimović). Subs: Mirante, Tătărușanu; Ballo-Touré, Calabria, Gabbia, Kjær; Adli, Pobega, Vranckx; Rebić. Coach: Pioli.
SALERNITANA (3-4-2-1): Ochoa; Daniliuc, Gyömbér, Pirola (68' Lovato); Mazzocchi (83' Sambia), Bohinen (83' Črnigoj), Coulibaly, Bradarić; Candreva (68' Bonazzoli), Kastanos (56' Piątek); Dia. Subs: Fiorillo, Sepe; Maggiore, Nicolussi Caviglia, Vilhena; Botheim, Valencia. Coach: Sousa.
Referee: La Penna from Roma 1.
Goals: 45'+1 Giroud (M), 61' Dia (S).
Booked: 60' Giroud (M), 85' Sambia (S), 89' Coulibaly (S), 94' Tomori (M), 96' Dia (S).
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