SIX‑GOAL THRILLER AT SAN SIRO
Serie A
We came away from San Siro with a bitter taste in the mouth. Our Serie A matchday 35 fixture against Genoa ended 3-3 after the Rossoneri had managed to equalise twice and then take a 3-2 lead through Giroud in the 75th minute. The disappointment came in the 87th minute, with Malick Thiaw scoring an own goal even though the team twice found the strength necessary to drag themselves level, first through Florenzi to make it 1-1 and then Gabbia to make it 2-2. It's our second draw in a row following the 0-0 result in Turin last week, though the saving grace from today was the team's desire to avoid dropping points.
The tiredness built up over recent weeks took its toll on the players and, as a result, the tempo of the game today was lower than usual, especially in the first half. Florenzi put in a positive performance, scoring the Rossoneri's first and providing the assist for Gabbia, who was again one of the best players on the pitch. We also welcomed Kalulu back to the pitch after a second spell out in an injury-hit season. The Rossoneri are now on 71 points in Serie A, solidly in second place ahead of the final three gameweeks. The Rossoneri's run-in is as follows: Cagliari at home, Torino away and Salernitana at San Siro on the final day.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v GENOA
MATCH REPORT
There were lots of absentees and an attacking line-up, but the Rossoneri got off to the worst possible start. After just five minutes, Tomori brought down Vogliacco in the box and a penalty was awarded to Genoa, with Retegui tucking it away for 1-0. An uphill task for us, but the reaction was led by Chris Pulisic, who struck the full face of the post with a right-footed curler on 13 minutes. The tempo of the game wasn’t high, but some moments of quality were on show, especially in the closing stages of the half. Leão’s first spark saw him rob the ball off De Winter, sprint into the 18-yard area and get a shot off on goal, but his effort had the sting taken out of it and Martínez made a comfortable save after 38 minutes. The visiting keeper then made several stops, first from Pulisic’s well-struck attempt from the edge of the box and then from a Gabbia header from the resulting corner. The goal was in the air and eventually came on the stroke of half time in the 45th minute: Chukwu’s cross in from the right found Florenzi, who timed his run perfectly and headed home to make it 1-1, and end the half.
The start to the second half was a carbon copy of the first, with Genoa scoring inside three minutes: a Vogliacco cross and Ekuban’s header was sent home to make it 2-1 to the visitors. We bounced back immediately through Chukwueze, but the referee whistled for offside to rule out the goal. The Nigerian tried again on 58 minutes with a left-footed curler that finished up behind. Theo’s quick solo breakway after 65 minutes ended with his effort being easily saved low down by Martínez. Then, Florenzi, from the edge of the box, hit one well over. Okafor came on and in his first piece of action played Giroud through on goal, but Oli’s dink over the keeper dropped wide. Eventually, the pressure paid off, with Matteo Gabbia heading in Florenzi’s corner to deservedly bring the scores back level to 2-2 in the 72nd minute. And three minutes later, Giroud, with a beautiful left-footed volley from Pulisic’s lofted cross to the back post, made it 3-2 after 75 minutes! Sportiello denied Thorsby and Haps in the 79th minute, but they didn’t matter as the Genoa duo were deemed offside. The visitors got back on level terms in the 87th minute though through a Thiaw own goal, who was unlucky to turn home Thorsby’s cross in from the byline. The last piece of action saw Theo crack a left-footed volley just wide three minutes into time added on: it ended 3-3.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 3-3 GENOA
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Sportiello; Florenzi (80' Kalulu), Gabbia, Tomori, Hernández; Bennacer (80' Adli), Reijnders; Chukwueze (80' Thiaw), Pulisic, Leão (67' Okafor), Giroud. Subs.: Nava, Torriani; Bartesaghi, Caldara, Terracciano; Pobega, Zeroli; Sia. Coach: Pioli.
GENOA (3-5-2): Martínez; Vogliacco (87' Cittadini), De Winter, Vásquez; Spence, Thorsby, Badelj (74' Strootman), Frendrup, Martin (74' Haps); Ekuban (87' Papadopoulos), Retegui. Subs.: Leali, Sommariva; Sabelli; Bohinen; Ankeye. Coach: Gilardino.
Referee: Prontera from Bologna.
Goals: 5' pen. Retegui (G), 45' Florenzi (M), 48' Ekuban (G), 72' Gabbia (M), 75' Giroud (M), 87' o.g. Thiaw (G).
Booked: 43' Reijnders (M), 94' Vásquez (G).
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