PRIMAVERA BEATEN AFTER PARMA COMEBACK
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Matchday 37 of the Primavera 1 league ended in defeat for the Rossoneri. The final score in Noceto was Parma 4-2 AC Milan. The Gialloblù secure a top-two finish and in turn qualify for the Scudetto semifinals. This result has no bearing on the Rossoneri who had already guaranteed their place in the division and were no longer able to reach the playoff spots. A disappointing result, because the morning had got off to a perfect start, with two goals inside the first 25 minutes.
Balentien made a big impact, playing in the first half after returning from a long injury spell, while Zaramella scored his first goal at Primavera level. There were also three Primavera debuts for Baldacchino, Colombo and Mercogliano - valuable experience as they look ahead to next season. Before that, though, the Rossoneri will close out their campaign against Torino at PUMA House of Football next weekend.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM PARMA v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
After some early attempts from the Ducali, the first real chance for the Rossoneri brought the opening goal in the 6th minute. Nobody got a touch on Balentien's cross and found the back of the net to make it 1-0 for Renna's side. The game soon become tightly-contested with the hosts pushing hard for an equaliser. Bouyer denied Conde in the 12th minute, before Baldacchino produced a brilliant intervention midway through the first half to stop Mikołajewski. AC Milan then struck again with their second attack of the game. In the 25th minute, Balentien burst forward on the counter and picked out Zaramella who made it 2-0. Parma refused to back down, and nearly responded when Cardinali rattled the crossbar on the half-hour mark. The hosts got back into the game three minutes later through Tigani. Both teams had another chance before half-time, Plazzotta for AC Milan and Mena Martinez for Parma, but the score remained the same heading into break.
AC Milan made one change at the break, with Perina replacing Balentien. Parma levelled just 18 seconds into the second half through Mikołajewski. The tempo then dropped significantly and chances became few and far between. Both coaches looked to their benches. It was one of Parma's substitutes, defender D'Intino, who completed the comeback in the 65th minute. AC Milan responded when Plazzotta capitalised on a Parma mistake, but the Rossoneri captain saw his effort blocked by Astaldi. He tried again in the 71st minute, only to be denied again by the Parma goalkeeper. The hosts dominated the closing stages, who scored a fourth through Cardinali in the 84th minute and nearly added a fifth five minutes later which was brilliantly denied by Nwajei. The final whistle came after six minutes of added time.
MATCH DETAILS
PARMA 4-2 AC MILAN
PARMA (3-4-1-2): Astaldi; Varali, Conde, Drobnič; Mena Martinez, Konaté (87' Mengoni), Tigani, Castaldo (63' D'Intino); Plicco (63' Nwajei); Cardinali (86' Vranici), Mikołajewski (80' Diop). Subs: Mazzocchi; Diallo; Chimezie, Gemello; Sartori, Semedo. Coach: Corrent.
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Bouyer; Nolli, M. Cissè, Cullotta, Baldacchino (81' Mercogliano); H. Cissè, Ibrahimović (66' Batistini), Plazzotta; Balentien (46' Perina), Castiello (66' L. Colombo), Zaramella (75' Petrone). Subs: Catalano; Del Forno, Di Marco, Kurbegović; Agresta; Lupo. Coach: Renna.
Referee: Zoppi from Firenze.
Goals: 6' Balentien (M), 25' Zaramella (M), 33' Tigani (P), 46' Mikołajewski (P), 65' D'Intino (P), 84' Cardinali (P).
Booked: 59' Castaldo (P), 68' Mikołajewski (P).
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