POINTS SHARED WITH BOLOGNA AT DALL’ARA
Serie A
Strength can be shown in various ways: winning the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final or playing well in Serie A three days later with a new-look side, away to a team in a rich vein of form. Pioli made ten changes to the side that beat Napoli in midweek but various aspects of the performance against Bologna today have to be praised, though there will be things from the 1-1 draw that will have to be looked at. Pobega's goal wasn't enough for the Rossoneri, who played well on the day and possibly deserved more. The team played, attacked, created chances, and even missed them, but a lack of concentration after just a few seconds cost them dear.
The Rossoneri's second consecutive draw means that they can't make up any ground in the table on matchday 30, as they move to 53 points and draw level with Roma, who play tomorrow. Though there is a risk that they will drop out of the top four with Inter in action later this evening. Our next fixture in domestic football is against Lecce next Sunday at San Siro, but first we travel to Naples for the second leg of our Champions League quarter-final at the Maradona. Forza ragazzi!
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM BOLOGNA v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
It was the worst start possible, with AC Milan behind after just a few seconds: neither Ballo-Touré nor Rebić could stop the advancing Posch, who placed a ball into the box that found Sansone, who got in front of Kalulu and slotted home from close range. Vranckx tried his luck after 3' to try and hit back immediately, as the away side slowly got a grip on the game. There was a claim for a penalty after Soumaoro looked to have clipped Rebić in the box. Then, the Rossoneri started to carve out some good chances: Rebić’s header from inside the box was saved by Skorupski after 20 minutes; two minutes later, the said keeper made a flying save from Florenzi’s free-kick, before an effort by Saelemaekers was deflected behind shortly after. Bologna had an opening after 36' through Aebischer’s powerful hit, but it was too high. And on the 40th-minute mark, the equaliser came through Pobega, who picked up the ball and fired home a left-foot thunderbolt from 20 yards out leaving the home keeper no chance. 1-1 at the break.
The second half started off quietly, with Florenzi’s effort from distance after 48 minutes the only real action of note early on. The Rossoneri pushed forward looking for the lead, having more possession and looking the most likely. Ballo-Touré’s header – set up by Origi’s cross – was kept out by Skorupski, before the first changes were made. The game was deadlocked and hard-fought, with the Rossoblù having a slight edge without ever troubling the away side’s backline. Vranckx had an effort after 65' before a double substitution saw Leão and Díaz introduced after 70' minutes for the final onslaught. And it did the trick with three chances created not long after: good play on the right by Messias saw him cross in for Rebić, but the ball bounced up and hit him in the face, knocking the ball behind; Lykogiannīs’ last-ditch block from Pobega proved vital, after good work from Leão; and Calabria also went close on the volley after 76 minutes. Just shy of injury-time, Díaz had two great efforts to seal the win: teed up by Leão, he sent one shot over from the edge of the box before just mis-timing his run, as a cross in by the Portuguese star just fell behind him. It ended 1-1 at the final whistle.
MATCH DETAILS
BOLOGNA 1-1 AC MILAN
BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1) Skorupski; Posch, Soumaoro, Lucumí, Kyriakopoulos; Schouten (85' Medel), Domínguez; Aebischer (73' Moro), Ferguson, Barrow (73' Lykogiannīs); Sansone (57' Zirkzee). Subs: Bardi, Ravaglia; Amey, Bonifazi, De Silvestri, Sosa; Pyyhtia. Coach: Thiago Motta.
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Florenzi (57' Calabria), Kalulu, Thiaw (81' Gabbia), Ballo-Touré; Vranckx, Pobega; Saelemaekers (57' Messias), De Ketelaere (70' Díaz), Rebić; Origi (70' Leão). Subs: Mirante, Tătărușanu; Hernández, Tomori; Adli, Bakayoko, Bennacer, Krunić, Tonali; Giroud. Coach: Pioli.
Referee: Massa from Imperia.
Goals: 1' Sansone (B), 40' Pobega (M).
Booked: 54' Florenzi (M), 58' Posch (B), 69' Domínguez (B), 80' Calabria (M), 81' Pobega (M), 87' Vranckx (M), 90' Kyriakopoulos (B).
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