LATE COMEBACK TO SECURE A POINT
Serie A
Given the way it came about, this is a big point. Yet there will always be that slightly bitter taste in the mouth because we were all dreaming of an opening-day win. It ended 2-2 between AC Milan and Torino at San Siro following a pulsating match, in which the Rossoneri were two down in the 89th minute due to a Thiaw own goal and Zapata's finish. Then, the strikers had their say. Morata scored a debut goal in the 89th minute before Okafor equalised in stoppage time, just as hope had all but faded away. In light of the performance, a draw is the right result, though there is certainly room for improvement. One thing is certain: we never give up and today we found the strength necessary to get something from a game that seemed lost.
So, we go again from here, from the spirit and determination shown in the final half an hour and the energy brought off the bench. A goal on debut for Álvaro and Noah's customary goal off the bench rescued an evening that seemed to be all downhill. A big positive on the night, however, was Youssouf Fofana's presence in the stands after his press conference at Casa Milan this afternoon. There is work to be done and to do it we need to build on the closing period of tonight's game. Now, we have a big week ahead, with Parma v AC Milan coming up next Saturday evening.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v TORINO
MATCH REPORT
The Rossoneri started out on the attack, all thanks to Leão who won a corner in the 6th minute after his shot took a deflection, going on to miss a big chance from right in front of the goalkeeper, aiming just high. At 21’ and 25’, Rafa came again, first with his right foot and then with his left, no dice. With their first real push, Torino took the lead: Zapata for Bellanova who hit the near post with a header before the ball fell to Thiaw who couldn’t avoid the own goal. In the 38th minute, Maignan did well to stop a second with a great diving save on a header from Zapata following a corner. Another big chance for Leão in the 41st minute, Loftus-Cheek made a precise pass but the shot went straight into the arms of Milinković-Savić after whistling through the Granata defence. At the end of the half, another good save from Maignan on a shot from Ilić outside the box, it was Chukwueze then with a dangerous shot that finished just shy of the post.
AC Milan came again at the start of the second half, Pulisic made the most of a mistake from Lazaro after just three minutes, going one-on-one with the keeper but shooting wide. In the 65th minute, shouts of a penalty for AC Milan after new entry Morata was floored by Coco, but the decision was overturned by VAR. The Rossoneri kept pushing, Pulisic had another shot from a good position at 72’, too high. In the 81st minute, Morata finished off a rebound from Milinković-Savić, ruled out for offside. But the final word was still to be said: in the 89th minute, Morata poked in a shot from Reijnders to make it 1-2. In the 95th minute, specialist of scoring off the bench last season, Okafor volleyed in a cross from Musah to level things up, 2-2. Theo had a chance ahead of the final whistle, out for a corner, and that was the final act of a bittersweet league opener.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 2-2 TORINO
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria (83' Okafor), Thiaw, Tomori, Saelemaekers; Bennacer (60' Reijnders), Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze (60' Hernández), Pulisic (72' Musah), Leão; Jović (60' Morata). Subs: Raveyre, Torriani; Gabbia, Pavlović, Terracciano. Coach: Fonseca.
TORINO (3-5-2): Milinković-Savić; Vojvoda, Coco, Masina; Bellanova (87' Dembélé), Ricci, Linetty, Ilić (71' Tameze), Lazaro (88' Sazonov); Sanabria (60' Adams), Zapata (71' Karamoh). Subs: Donnarumma, Paleari; Dellavalle; Bianay Balcot, Ciammaglichella, Horvath; Njie. Coach: Vanoli.
Referee: Maresca from Napoli.
Goals: 31' o.g. Thiaw (T), 68' Zapata (T), 89' Morata (M), 90'+5 Okafor (M).
Booked: 45+2' Vojvoda (T), 45+3' Ricci (T), 57' Jović (M), 89' Tameze (M), 89' Morata (M), 90'+6 Dembélé (T).
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