FANTASTIC FOUR FOR THE PRIMAVERA: 4‑0 AGAINST EMPOLI
Youth Teams
AC Milan Primavera were called upon to react after the midweek defeat in Bologna, and they provided a reaction. And how. At Vismara, Empoli were the team to suffer: 4-0 the final result, in a game conducted by AC Milan with authority from the first to the last minute of play. On the scoresheet was Olzer, as usual, with a brace, as well as Nasti and Michelis, with the latter putting in yet another great performance this year. On its eve this was presented as a difficult and precarious challenge, given the excellent momentum of Empoli, who came into the game on equal points in the standings after three high-scoring victories against Fiorentina, Genoa and Lazio. Giunti had changed many players, giving minutes from the beginning to the 2003 born Bright, El Hilali and Nasti while also handing returns to Frigerio and Olzer. And it was the latter who opened the scoring and dominated the match technically. With three victories out of three since the restart, against SPAL, Sassuolo and Empoli, Vismara is confirmed as the favourite hunting ground for AC Milan, which is where they will host Inter Milan on Wednesday at 15:00 CET for the first Derby of the season, into which the teams will arrive on equal points. There could not have been a better approach to the derby.
MATCH REPORT
Giunti changed several elements with respect to the defeat in Bologna but, from the very first stages of the game it is all AC Milan on the pitch, and the opportunities flow: the first is for Bright, who engages Pratelli with a low right footed shot from the centre of the area.. On the following corner, a deflection by Michelis again heats up the gloves of the Empoli goalkeeper, who beats away Olzer's left-footed shot in the 10th minute from a few steps away. The Rossoneri pressure is incessant and they produce six corners in the first eleven minutes of play. On half an hour a double chance arrives for El Hilali but, even in this case, Pratelli still saves. The goal is coming and arrives in the 32nd minute: Olzer enters the area, opens his body and with his left foot he puts the ball under the intersection of the posts. The second goal is almost immediate: El Hilali's low cross in the 36th minute, Michelis' deflection in the area and it is 2-0 to AC Milan. The Rossoneri could even extend the margin to three before the break, but Pratelli again denies the joy of the goal, to Nasti this time.
A minute after restarting for the second half and it is 3-0 AC Milan: Olzer escapes on the left with the ball chained to his foot, enters the area and strikes it past Pratelli with a left-footed diagonal shot. The Rossoneri almost score a fourth on 58 minutes with El Hilali, who steals the ball in midfield and flies away, making a mistake face to face with the goalkeeper. AC Milan contains the visitor’s fightback well and Jungdal is called to intervene for the first time in the 65th minute for a shot by Ekong. The fourth arrives in the 75th minute after an insistent offensive action by the Rossoneri: Frigerio's right hits the post, El Hilali's right is saved miraculously by Pratesi, and then finally Nasti arrives for the tap-in. In the last quarter of an hour, AC Milan managed the game completely and sailed to victory.
MATCH FACTS
MILAN 4-0 EMPOLI
Milan (4-3-3): Jungdal; Stanga (76' Cretti), Tahar, Michelis, Oddi; Frigerio (76' Robotti), Brambilla (69' Saco), Bright (61' Di Gesù); Olzer (61' Mionić), Nasti, El Hilali. Subs.: Moleri, Pseftis; Filì, Kerkez, Obaretin, Roback, Tonin. Coach: Giunti.
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Pratelli; Donati, Siniega, Pezzola, Rizza (46' Riccioni); Belardinelli, Asllani (76' Degli Innocenti), Fazzini (56' Rossi); Baldanzi (56' Bozhanaj); Ekong, Lipari (46' Klimavičius). Subs.: Biagini, Fantoni; Degli Innocenti, Morelli, Indragoli, Rossi, Lombardi, Sidibe, Toccafondi. Coach: Buscè.
Referee: Longo di Paola.
Goalscorers: 32' Olzer (M), 36' Michelis (M), 46' Olzer (M), 75' Nasti (M).
Our new PUMA matchday jerseys for the 2020/21 season are now available: visit AC Milan online store!
