THE PRIMAVERA HIT FOUR PAST SPAL TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS
Youth Teams
A brace for El Hilali, with Traorè and Rossi also on the scoresheet. AC Milan Primavera ran out 4-0 winners over SPAL today, bouncing back from a couple of disappointing results (against Juve and Cagliari). The first half was bereft of any real excitement, but the Rossoneri hit form in the second half and dominated proceedings, with El Hilali shining in particular. It was an excellent response from the team at a difficult moment, and this win – their first victory in around a month (and their first away success since February) – will help to restore some much-needed confidence.
Following their 28th fixture of the Primavera 1 season, the Diavolo currently sit in tenth place on 39 points. Although the team remain adrift of the play-offs following a season of ups and downs, they need to continue to push and work hard. It’s now time to focus on the next one: at 16:30 CEST on Saturday 16 April, AC Milan will face Sampdoria at Vismara. It’ll be an important match against a side that are pursuing the same objective as the Rossoneri.
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REPORT
Coach Giunti made seven changes to the side that started against Cagliari. The Rossoneri risked falling behind as Orfei failed to convert from close range in the third minute. At the other end, Magri saved Nasti’s fifth-minute effort, with the SPAL shot-stopper then doing even better to keep out El Hilali’s excellent free kick. However, it wasn’t exactly a lively affair, despite Traorè and El Hilali’s best efforts to find an opening on the half-hour mark. The first half finished with Desplanches racing out to stop Wilke Braams in his tracks.
The second half couldn’t have started better for the Rossoneri. After a chance for Di Gesù, Traorè broke the deadlock in the 48th minute: the SPAL defence failed to pick up Chaka following a ball into the area, and he proceeded to skip past Magri and give his side the lead. With the wind in their sails, the Diavolo went on the hunt for more and all but put the game to bed by the hour mark. El Hilali took centre stage, scoring with two right-footed strikes: the first (54’) kissed the post on its way in, while the second finished in the corner of the net (59’). In the closing stages, AC Milan threatened again through Foglio and Capone, while Desplanches stopped Puletto from reducing the arrears. The Rossoneri added another one in stoppage time, with Rossi finishing off Foglio’s assist. It finished 4-0.
MATCH SUMMARY
SPAL 0-4 AC MILAN
SPAL (4-3-3): Magri; Forapani, Nador, Saio, Borsoi (73' Cavallini); Sperti (82' Meneghini), Markhiyev (46' De Milato), Mihai (57' Ellertsson); Orfei, Wilke Braams (57' Puletto), Boccia. Subs: Rigon; Breit, Bugaj, Yabre; Chillemi, Fiori, Simonetta, De Milato. Coach: Mandelli.
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Desplanches; Borges (86' Camara), Coubis, Bosisio, Stanga; Foglio, Di Gesù, Gala (86' Eletu); El Hilali (74' Omoregbe), Nasti (74' Rossi), Traorè (64' Capone). Subs: Bartoccioni, Pseftis; Obaretin, Piantedosi; Robotti; Roback. Coach: Giunti.
Referee: Gemelli from Messina.
Goals: 48' Traorè (M), 54' and 59' El Hilali (M), 91' Rossi (M).
Booked: 27' Forapani (S).
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