SPINELLI AND GIACINTI SCORE AS AC MILAN BEAT CESENA

Maurizio Ganz’s girls began their Coppa Italia campaign in positive fashion today: the Rossonere ran out 2-0 winners in Cesena thanks to goals from Spinelli and Giacinti. The match provided the opportunity to rest several players, and those who took to the pitch managed to bring home three important points in Group F. Now, AC Milan’s final group game awaits on Sunday: the team will face Orobica in a showdown that will determine if they qualify for the quarter-finals. Today’s trip was a very useful one: it allowed Coach Ganz and his staff to watch those who haven’t featured as much or at all in action. Julia Simic made her AC Milan debut, starting from the first minute after a long time out. Lidija Kuliš, meanwhile, took centre stage, providing two assists in what was an excellent individual display. The youngsters Carolina Morleo, who made her debut, and Maria Vittoria Nano, who had already played a few minutes of the Derby in October, also took to the pitch.

REPORT
The first player to threaten was Dowie, who, after some excellent movement in the area, hit the outside of the post in the fifth minute. The Rossonere continued to pile on the pressure thereafter and were once again denied by the woodwork after 18 minutes, when Kuliš’s free kick hit the bar. A goal was coming, and it duly arrived on the half-hour mark: Kuliš whipped in a corner and Spinelli volleyed home with her left foot. At the end of the first half, Salvatori Rinaldi came close to doubling AC Milan’s advantage on two occasions: first, she headed over in the 42nd minute; then, two minutes later, she was denied by Pignagnoli.

Coach Ganz made two changes at the break: Bergamaschi returned after a month out (replacing Rizza), while Giacinti came on for Dowie. And Valentina made her mark with 72 minutes on the clock, scoring the Rossonere’s second from another Kuliš assist. From that point on, AC Milan were fully in control. As previously mentioned, Morleo and Nano got a runout as the match neared its end. It’s now time to focus on Orobica.

SUMMARY

CESENA 0-2 AC MILAN 

CESENA (5-3-2): Pignagnoli; Pavana, Carlini, Simei, Del Francia, Pastore; Georgiu, Cuciniello, Cotrer (66' Beleffi); Casadei, Petralia. Substitutes: Pacini, Siboni, Orlando, Costi, Gallina, Paolini Coach: Rossi.

MILAN (3-5-2): Piazza; Vitale, Fusetti (68' Agard), Spinelli; Rizza (46' Bergamaschi), Rask, Mauri, Simic (75' Morleo), Kuliš (85' Nano); Dowie (46' Giacinti), Salvatori Rinaldi. Substitutes: Babb; Jane, Grimshaw, Premoli. Coach: Ganz.

Referee: Bianchini.
Goals: 28' Spinelli (M), 72' Giacinti (M).

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