AC Milan managed to get their first league win in five games as they beat Fiorentina 1-0 at San Siro on Saturday night thanks to Theo Hernandez’s penalty.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below) recalls how Mike Maignan’s save a few seconds from the end on Mandragora was immeasurable, saving Milan from a draw that would have felt like a negative result.
Milan beat Fiorentina and retained third place alone, with a two-point advantage over Napoli. Some concerns remain after a one-goal win that came from the penalty spot, but to win with numerous absences is a positive. Milan were worthy in the first half, then too compliant and defensive in the second half.
Francesco Camarda’s debut in Serie A at the age of 15 years and 260 days should be framed in history. Now he holds the record as the youngest debutant in the league, the first in 2008-born player to set foot in one of the five top tournaments in Europe (England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France).
In 14 minutes, including injury time, Camarda played just one ball, an action in which he attempted to pass Milenkovic, but the Viola defender took the ball away from him and triggered a dangerous high counter-attack. The teenager showed personality, and that’s enough for now.
Stefano Pioli dusted off the usual outfit of 4-2-3-1 with Musah as the attacking midfielder, in the sense that the American had the mission of putting pressure on Martinez Quarta, Fiorentina’s central defender who is crucial in the build-up.
On the other side, similar situation: Bonaventura hindered the thoughts of Reijnders. For a long time the match was stuck on these mutual tactical battles, but as the minutes passed in Fiorentina a crack opened up in the bottom right.
It is a fault that had already emerged in Florence against Juve: Parisi is a left-footed player forced by the emergency to reinvent himself right-back, a role in which he struggles to find himself in the defensive phase.
Pulisic, Pobega and towards the end Hernandez gradually wedged themselves into his territories. Milan had their chances, such as Pulisic’s shot from a central area and Pobega’s heading from a corner, then Theo’s run in behind was found by a lovely Jovic pass and Parisi brought him down.
At half-time Italiano got the substitution right bringing Lopez on for Arthur, allowing Fiorentina to raise their centre of gravity, but they never capitalised on the territorial dominance.
Pioli chose the strategy of all-out resistance, because he put the result before the aesthetics, yet if Maignan hadn’t made the save of the year in the 96th minute from Mandragora’s shot then the game would feel a lot different.
