PRIMAVERA HIT SPEZIA FOR FOUR
Youth Teams
Three in a row for AC Milan. After the wins against Chelsea and Udinese, the Rossoneri Primavera team overcame Spezia at the PUMA House of Football and made the Coppa Italia round of 32, where they will face Genoa. The final score was 4-0, after an excellent first half that ended with a two-goal advantage thanks to the goals from Pluvio and Longhi, who scored a brace and caused lots of trouble for the hosts. Everything was straightforward for the Rossoneri, even in the second half, during which AC Milan controlled possession and tempo, finding the other goals through Scotti, and Longhi again, in the final quarter of an hour.
Coach Abate transformed the starting 11 from the last league game by making ten changes to the line-up, with Bartesaghi the only survivor. Among the Rossoneri ranks were debutants Casali and Torriani - on the pitch from the first minute. Stalmach impressed on his first start, as the Polish midfielder distinguished himself, especially in the first half. Scotti's contribution and a clinical Longhi's brace stood out in an afternoon full of pleasure for the Rossoneri. The next game is already round the corner, on Saturday 22 October at the PUMA House of Football against Roma, on Matchday 9 of the league season
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v SPEZIA
MATCH REPORT
AC Milan approached the game with energy and courage, closing Spezia down in their own third at the start. The first chances of the match came for the Rossoneri, with Stalmach - blocked in the 5th minute - and Longhi, who almost scored a great goal from a reverse pass in the 7th minute. On 15 minutes Lari tried to break the deadlock, but his free kick was easily blocked by Torriani. AC Milan turned to Pluvio: in the 16th minute his cross was gathered by Longhi who hit the post on the turn and in the 17th minute the number 14 tried with a violent but inaccurate right-footed strike. Pluvio exchanged passes with Stalmach and placed his shot in the corner to take the lead 20th minute. The Rossoneri pressed on and found the second in the 25th minute, with Longhi's shot thundering past Plaia. Spezia were still alive, though, and rallied through Pedicillo: the number 7's attempts were stopped by an alert Torriani in the final minutes though. It was 2-0 AC Milan at half-time.
At the start of the second half it was Pedicillo again who challenged Torriani, this time with a right-footer from the centre of the box, but it was once again stopped by the goalkeeper. AC Milan controlled the rhythm of the match thanks to the effective work of their midfielders, who were good at not conceding space on the counter. In the 58th minute the Rossoneri caused danger with Casali's attempt from distance, saved by Plaia. The introduction of Scotti and Alesi revitalised AC Milan's offensive threat: in the 81st minute Alesi's shot from outside the box was blocked by Plaia, but he could do nothing about Scotti's second attempt, who scored with a header. Longhi took advantage of a defensive error and sprinted towards goal, dispatching past the visitors' goalkeeper with compsure to score his second goal. It ended 4-0.
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 4-0 SPEZIA
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Torriani; Casali (75' Parmiggiani), Simić, Nsiala, Bartesaghi (67' Bozzolan); Stalmach, Eletu (61' Mancioppi), Pluvio; Cuenca (46' Scotti), Longhi, Omoregbe (61' Alesi). Subs: Nava, Pseftis; Coubis, Malaspina; Gala, Zeroli; Mangiameli. Coach: Abate.
SPEZIA (4-3-1-2): Plaia; Cappelli (65' Salerno), Benvenuto, Giorgeschi, Garzia, Raineri; Pedicillo, Beccarelli; Scieuzo (46' Candelari); Di Giorgio (46' Sacko), Lari. Subs: Mascardi; Adorni, Brisciani, Bonaccorsi, Bracco, Caddeo, Maissan, Piccioli. Coach: Vecchio.
Referee: Gangi from Enna.
Goals: 20' Pluvio (M), 25' Longhi (M), 81' Scotti (M) 91' Longhi (M).
Booked: 87' Garzia (S).
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