DEFEAT AWAY TO MONZA

The heart and tenacity to overcome difficulties, the desire to keep on pushing, but also late disappointment following a comeback with ten men: this was the story of AC Milan’s 25th fixture of the Serie A season, which finished in a 4-2 defeat away to Monza. At the U-Power Stadium, the Rossoneri fell two behind as Pessina scored from the penalty spot and Mota added a second on the stroke of half-time. Jović was then sent off, but Pioli’s men continued to attack and found the strength and energy to draw level through goals from Olivier Giroud (his twelfth of the Serie A season) and Christian Pulisic (his seventh of the league campaign). However, Bondo and Colombo both bagged in stoppage time to secure three points for the home side.

The two distractions at the end of the first half cost Coach Pioli's team dearly, as they returned to conceding goals after keeping a clean sheet in the last two games. The team’s reaction was certainly a positive, digging deep and not giving up despite being behind and with a numerical disadvantage. In addition, the substitutions of Pulisic - goals and assists for the American -, Giroud and Leão brought more energy. The Rossoneri will need to be strong to put this slipup behind them and immediately focus on their next fixture, which comes round thick and fast: the Europa League Playoff second leg is scheduled for Thursday 22 February at Roazhon Park, home of Stade Rennais. Come on, AC Milan!

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM MONZA v AC MILAN

MATCH REPORT
The Rossoneri were on the front foot from the off. The first chance came to Jović, whose header from Theo’s cross was kept out by Di Gregorio inside two minutes, while Hernández’s left-footed strike deflected just wide three minutes later. With lots of possession but few openings in the central areas in the opening stages of the game, AC Milan possessed most of the attacking threat, but Monza slowly grew into the game. In the 31st minute, Đurić clipped the crossbar with a header, before in the 45th minute – after a long stoppage - Thiaw tripped Mota in the area and a penalty was awarded: from the spot, Pessina sent Maignan the wrong way to make it 1-0. The Rossoneri were then stunned once again six minutes into first-half stoppage-time when – on the counterattack – Mota found the corner to double the home side’s lead.

Coach Pioli made a triple change at the break, and after a good opening spell to the half Jović’s sending off changed the Rossoneri’s plans and formation. Despite the numerical disadvantage, AC Milan continued to push forward in search of finding a way back into the game. On the hour mark, Leão’s shot was blocked, before Pulisic flicked on Floreni’s cross into the box and Giroud got a foot to it in front of goal to make it 2-1 after 64 minutes. The hosts looked to defend their lead, while the Rossoneri’s insistence eventually paid off in the 88th minute, when Pulisic cut inside and angled a lovely left-footed strike straight into the far corner: 2-2. AC Milan didn’t sit back and looked for a winner, but in the 90th minute, Bondo placed a right-footed effort into the right-hand corner from the edge of the box, before deep into stoppage-time (96') Colombo beat Maignan on the break. It ended 4-2.

MATCH DETAILS

MONZA 4-2 AC MILAN

MONZA (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio (43' Sorrentino); Birindelli, Izzo, Marí, Carboni A.; Gagliardini, Pessina; Carboni V. (65' Bondo), Colpani (80' Pereira), Mota (80' Maldini); Đurić (65' Colombo). Subs: Gori; Bettella, Caldirola, D'Ambrosio, Donati, Kyriakopoulos; Akpa-Akpro, Machin, Zerbin. Coach: Palladino.

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Florenzi (83' Musah), Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernández; Bennacer (54' Giroud), Adli (46' Reijnders); Chukwueze (46' Pulisic), Loftus-Cheek, Okafor (46' Leão); Jović. Subs: Mirante, Sportiello; Bartesaghi, Jiménez, Kjær, Simić, Terracciano. Coach: Pioli.

Referee: Colombo from Como.
Goals: 45' pen. Pessina (MO), 45'+6 Mota (MO), 64' Giroud (M), 88' Pulisic (M), 90' Bondo (MO), 96' Colombo (MO).
Booked: 33' Đurić (MO), 45'+8 Pessina (MO), 51' Palladino (MO), 76' Mota (MO), 76' Bondo (MO), 82' Gabbia (M).
Sent off: 51' Jović (M).

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