PRIMAVERA, PLAYOFF HOPES EXTINGUISHED

On the eve of the match, the league table left AC Milan Primavera with no alternative: Only a victory over Roma, who were still in the running for first place, would have kept their hopes of qualifying for the Scudetto Playoffs alive. Instead, they lost 2-0 in Trigoria (Rome), extinguishing the Rossoneri's remaining hopes. On Wednesday afternoon, they will end their season at the Vismara Sporting Centre in Milan when they host Genoa.

The result was too much of a punishment for Coach Giunti's boys, who played a great first half-hour of the game with many chances and a missed penalty from Capone, whose powerful right-footed shot hit the crossbar. The deciding Roma goals came in quick succession at the end of the first half from Zalewski and Tall, with AC Milan then hitting the post in the second half with Tonin. A result that does not cancel out a positive season for the young Rossoneri, who in the year of their return to Primavera 1 have always shown quality and character. Well done all the same, guys; the growth is continuous.

MATCH REPORT

Due to some absences and the disqualification of Coubis, Coach Giunti changed the formation: 4-2-3-1 with Roback as the only forward. The Rossoneri got off to a good start and had three chances in the first six minutes through Capone and Di Gesù. After the daring beginning, AC Milan came back forward with Roback 22 minutes in and Kerkez on 26’. The domination peaked in the 29th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul in the box on Frigerio. Capone stepped up to the spot: A powerful right-footed shot, the goalkeeper unaware, but the ball hit the top of the crossbar. This let the game loose, and in the 37th minute the deadlock was broken: This time it was Roma's turn from the twelve yards out for a foul by Michelis on Tall, and Zalewski scored to give the Giallorossi the lead. Two minutes later Roma doubled their lead when Ciervo's through ball found Tall and he put it into the net.

The second half began at a slower pace, partly due to the heat of the afternoon in Trigoria. The Rossoneri went forward in the 50th minute when Kerkez set Roback off on the counterattack: Despite beating two Giallorossi defenders, Emil attempted a difficult lob that went just wide. Roma responded with Tripi, but the two best chances of the second half came from AC Milan, with two substitute players: Tonin hit the post in the 71st minute after a recovering the ball in attack; Saco tried from outside the box in the 86th minute, but the ball went wide. It ended 2-0.

Coach Federico Giunti commented: "We had a good approach, the boys did what I asked of them. In the first half hour Roma were the team in trouble but as has often happened this season, especially in recent games, certain incidents have condemned us".

MATCH FACTS

ROMA 2-0 AC MILAN 

ROMA (4-3-3): Mastrantonio; Tomassini (64' Evangelisti), Ndiayè, Buttaro (81' Tahirovic), Rocchetti (32' Oliveras); Zalewski (64' Bamba), Tripi, Milanese; Ciervo (64' Pagano), Tall, Podgoreanu. Subs.: Boer, Giorcelli, Satriano, Afena-Gyan, Cassano, Volpato, Berti. Coach: De Rossi.

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Moleri; Kerkez (75' Bosisio), Obaretin, Michelis, Oddi; Frigerio (46' Saco), Brambilla (75' Tolomello); Di Gesù (62' Tonin), Capone, Mionić; Roback (68' N'Gbesso). Subs.: Pseftis; Cretti, Filì, Robotti, Paloschi. Coach: Giunti.

Referee: Cudini from Fermo.
Goal: 37' pen. Zalewski (R), 39' Tall (R)
Notes: 28' missed penalty by Capone (M)

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