AC Milan missed out on the chance to cut the gap at the top of the table as they were beaten 1-0 away from home by Lazio on Sunday night.
The only goal of the match came in the first half and was scored by Gustav Isaksen, as he took advantage of the space left in behind to race onto a through ball and slot past Mike Maignan. Milan certainly had the better of the second half, but were unable to fashion a leveller.
After Inter’s draw with Atalanta was viewed as a positive result, it means that they have actually gained one point and widened the gap to eight points. It will take a miracle now to engineer a comeback, and attention instead must be on locking up a top four spot.
First half: The Aquile take flight
Massimiliano Allegri made just one change to the starting line-up from the team that won the derby against Inter, with the suspended Adrian Rabiot replaced by Ardon Jashari on the left side of a midfield three.
The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico could be described as hostile. Having protested for weeks by not showing up, over 50,000 fans were present on Sunday night as the organised fan groups urged everyone to cheer the team on. Lazio started on the front foot: Isaksen tested Strahinja Pavlovic with a couple of darting runs off the left that he just about thwarted.
Milan fashioned the first dangerous moment in the 10th minute when Pavlovic did excellently to keep a cross in play on the far side, then a shot was blocked into his path deep inside the box. He dribbled around one man, but Provstgaard dived in brilliantly to stop a very dangerous shot from close range.
A couple of minutes after that, Lazio tested the strength of the crossbar with an absolute rocket of a shot off the boot of Isaksen, again after a blocked shot resulted in a fortunate bounce. This time, however, it wouldn’t have counted because he had controlled it with his arm and was potentially offside too.
After a rather scrappy period in the game in which Milan got themselves in top, Pervis Estupinan was inches away from opening the scoring for the second straight weekend. A brilliant cross from Alexis Saelemaekers found the run in behind from the Ecuadorian, who got his head to it but guided it just wide of the far post.
Then, at the other end, it was Lazio’s turn to come incredibly close to breaking the deadlock. Taylor had overlapped on the left edge of the box and found space to shoot from a narrow angle, rattling the woodwork as Mike Maignan watched it cannon away to safety.
In the 27th minute, the home side did take the lead and it came courtesy of Isaksen. A long hopeful ball nestled in behind Estupinan who seemed to misjudge both the flight of the ball and where his man was. The Dane was able to latch onto it and surge into the box down the right side, finishing well past Maignan having opened up onto his left foot.
Nine minutes before the break, Daniel Maldini must have seen the headlines flash before his eyes as he raced through towards goal with Koni De Winter for company. He did get a shot off from the edge of the box, though the centre-back had done just enough to ensure it was weak and straight at Maignan.
Second half: Rossoneri can’t respond
Milan started the second half on top as they searched for an equaliser, and twice they created panic in quick succession. The first was a first-time shot from Pulisic on the edge of the box that Motta palmed away, then the rebound led to a cross and a scuff looped it up for Fofana, whose header from a great position was straight at Motta too.
Two minutes later it was Lazio’s turn to create some danger. Taylor did excellently to hammer a low ball across goal that nobody was on hand to tap in, before Estupinan almost scored a comical own-goal as he tried to head back to Maignan. Thankfully the Frenchman gathered at the second attempt.
Three minutes before the hour-mark, Allegri made a double change and it was two wing-backs who came on. Estupinan – who had just been booked – made way along with Fikayo Tomori, replaced by Zachary Athekame and Davide Bartesaghi.
If this really was an audition for Gila ahead of the summer, he passed the first hour with flying colours. His best moment came when Fofana looked to have put Leao through on goal but he was jostled off it by the Spaniard who used just the right amount of force.
Not long after Leao had failed to get his head on a cross into a great area and Pulisic had lashed a shot well over, another double change came. The Portuguese was not happy to be brought off, and Niclas Füllkrug took his spot, while Christopher Nkunku replaced Fofana.
Milan did have the ball in the net with just over 15 minutes to go as a corner ricocheted around and was fired in emphatically by Athekame, though the appeals for a handball were immediate and the referee quickly disallowed it.
It was all pressure from the Rossoneri as cross after cross went into the Lazio box, but the home side stood firm. When Modric opened up and curled a shot narrowly over inside the final 10 minutes, it was looking more and more like it wouldn’t be Milan’s day. The final change was Samuele Ricci for Saelemaekers.
The final chances of the game would see Jashari drive a shot wide from 25 yards with the box loaded full of players, and then the Swiss also volleyed after chesting the ball down well, failing to really test Motta.
How do you even rate Jashari and Leao’s performance tonight? It was beyond words, including Leao’s reaction towards Allegri, Mike had to cross the field to make him leave faster. This guy is becoming a cancer. I’ve been saying this since last season when him and his good buddy Theo were doing the same s**t to Fonseca and Conceicao.
Overall, a really disappointing performance overall. Save for Pavlovic, I can’t think of a decent individual performance. A few half-chances here and there don’t cut it when it comes to such a mediocre Lazio side. It’s not a scudetto year, we simply don’t have the resources. Allegri has his own faults since that lineup was never going to work and the offense changes came too late.
I kinda feel bad for Jashari as he doesnt get much playing time. He will get better im sure. The quality is there. He started in a high pressure game when he hardly gets to play.
Man pervis estupinian….. he was absutely horrendous! Next time they better just start with 10 men.
Yess agree. In this case, the management would better sell leao than separate with allegri. I told leao would exploded when he start play from the left winger like pioli did. Allegri should change the formation like 3-4-2-1.
It was pretty poor across the entire team. There will be games like this. But it goes to show Milan is nowhere ready for a title challenge yet. Allegri has been over-performing with this team despite the obvious gaps.
Fofana and always estupinan flops.. another flop both of them…
back to the factory
pooorrr
Back to total garbage today as milan was more interested in standing around as usual. dont get me started on Leao – woke up finally…after he was taken off. what an utter mess that guy is – he has less control of the ball and the worst first touch in football. Hissy fit at being taken off – you play like a lazy child, so i guess it is on brand. Out played by Maldini – Red Bird are you paying attention?
SELL LEAO JULY 1 AND BUY A PLAYER WHO ACTUALLY TRIES.
LOL. Maldini looking world-class compared to Leao. What universe is this?!!! Unbelievable but true.
All the work Allegri has done with Leao came undone tonight and the real attitude problem that’s been just below the surface has finally burst through like a volcanic eruption. Your captain has to run across the field to get you to do the right thing and you spout off at him and then shove your coach when he was trying to show you support. Allegri has done all he can with finding a way to get Leao involved. They need a real 9 and Nkunku, Leao, Fullkrug, all out. Get a real 9 and a winger to replace Leao. This management has made a real mess of things between last year and this year. We really miss Tiji and this formation has run its course. Can’t wait to have Gimenez back (never thought I’d say that). Gimenez needs to start as soon as he can. Leao needs to be benched next match and be demoted to sub for the rest of the season. They now have to battle to ensure a top 4 finish and I don’t think the team chemistry can handle his temper tantrum for the last part of the season. I think we all saw the Pervis display coming a mile away. Davide looked to be somewhere around 70%-80% fit, I wish he had started.
Tiji was last year’s cancer. Crappy attitude and half-hearted defense.
Leao? Before the last few weeks, I would have said ‘no’ to the cancer (but yes to crappy attitude and half-hearted defense). This week, really crappy attitude although a 60% effort on defense. His $70m eu. value (Transfermkt) can be put to good use for a real #9 and another central defender.
LMAO!!! Tiji was the cancer huh?
There were issues last year with leadership. Tiji was not the issue. Theo and Leao standing away from the group was telling. Theo taking the penalty shot from Pulisic as it was his birthday is Sunday league crap. And then Tomori taking the ball from Pulisic to give to his friend Tammy to take the penalty was absurd. The managers’ instructions seem to have been regularly ignored. I think if Giroud was there this would not have happened. Now, the one thing I will give Allegri credit for is being a force in the locker room. That was needed. But OMG, his tactics are better than Ambien. This is not a scudetto winning team, but last year they should have finished in the top four. This year I think they’ll be 3rd or 4th.
lol, I can only assume he thought it said Theo?
TJ was last year’s cancer? What a wild take. I can’t think of a situation where he displayed an unprofessional behavior. As for the football part, he was deservedly chosen for best Milan player of the season. Without him, we would’ve done a lot worst than the already pathetic 8th place.
Last season’s cancer is still here.
We will never get anything even remotely close to 70M€ for Leao though.
Kiss what little chance we had for the Scudetto goodbye.
Rule one for defenders – play the man, not the ball. Estupinan apparently didn’t follow the rule. Ugh.
Some players (Fofana, Pulisic, Modric, de Winter) had solid games. Good to see Pulisic back on form. de Winter’s backtracking pushed Maldini into a soft shot at Maignan on the semi-breakaway.
I think Leao will be sold in the offseason mercato. Massive talent but he doesn’t fit the 3-5-2. Today’s end-of-substitution-display wasn’t the final nail in the coffin, but it makes the decision easier.
On to Torino….