AC Milan produced a stunning comeback at the Stadio Via del Mare against Lecce, coming from two goals down in the second half to eventually win 3-2.
Milan found themselves two goals down going into the final 30 minutes, with Nikola Krstovic scoring a brace including a first goal that was an absolute rocket of a shot.
Yet, the Rossoneri roared back when they seemed floored. Firstly Joao Felix’s shot was diverted in via an own-goal, then Christian Pulisic scored from the penalty spot and Pulisic’s volley capped the comeback inside the final 15 minutes.
It is a result that doesn’t even begin to tell the story of another chaotic game after a chaotic week, yet it will at least temporarily provide some respite after what looked like being another embarrassing defeat.
Amid talk of him being under pressure, Sergio Conceicao made some big changes to the starting line-up. Kyle Walker came back into the side, Warren Bondo got a first start in midfield and Alex Jimenez returned on the wing. Marco Sportiello took the place of the suspended Mike Maignan, too.
It took less than one minute for Milan to cut Lecce open and score, with Christian Pulisic sending Theo Hernandez away down the left side of the box and Santiago Gimenez finishing from close range. However, after a VAR review the goal was chalked off for offside, with the Mexican having strayed making his run.
Naturally, given the way that Milan’s season has gone this season, they would be picking the ball out of their own net six minutes later. A sloppy Tijjani Reijnders pass behind Jimenez led to a counter which Krstovic finished with a rocket of a shot from 20 yards out.
As flare smoke shrouded the Stadio Via del Mare Milan set about looking for an equaliser, and Yunus Musah tested Falcone with a powerful effort from the edge of the area that wasn’t quite far enough in the corner.
Low crosses continued to cause danger from Milan, and Gimenez managed to just about get on the end of another cut-back from Theo though the ball ricocheted around and in the end went over and wide from a few yards out. Moments later, Bondo tried his luck from 18 yards though Falcone saved easily.
In almost comical circumstances, Milan scored yet another offside goal. A brilliant free-kick routine which Theo took was buried at the near post by Matteo Gabbia, yet again VAR intervened to chalk it off as the centre-back had strayed too early.
The frantic nature of the game continued and so did Milan’s precarious attempts to defend. Krstovic was inches away from double his tally and Lecce’s lead as he fired from a narrow angle with Sportiello on the floor, yet hit the outside of the post.
The pressure from the home side continued as they made mistake after mistake in possession. After surrendering the ball in their own half, Krstovic should have had an assist when squaring to Pierotti on the right side of the box, yet the winger’s shot was wildly off target.
In the few minutes leading up to the half-time break Gimenez twice came close to adding to his goal tally. Firstly Falcone stopped a header from the striker that was pretty much straight at him, then he was happy to see the ball roll wide of the near post after Musah’s low cross was turned goal-wards.
Conceicao cannot have liked what he saw with his team heading for a fourth straight league defeat and he chose to make a change at the break: Rafael Leao came on, with Jimenez off.
The first big chance of the second half went to Milan and it was Gimenez’s turn to hit the woodwork. A cross came in from Theo and was never really cleared, then he managed to squeeze out a low shot from almost on the floor from close range that hit the post.
Milan continued to dominate the possession and the chances, and should have levelled when Leao’s in-swinging cross met the head of Musah who could not direct it anywhere near goal despite being about six yards out.
Just before the hour mark, the sucker punch came to effectively knock Milan out of the game. Once again Milan were caught out in transition and once again it was Krstovic who did the damage, sweeping home a cut-back from Guilbert with Sportiello motionless.
Two more changes were made by Conceicao just after the second goal went in: Bondo and Gimenez came off, with Joao Felix and Tammy Abraham coming on.
However, the Rossoneri’s hopes were rekindled in the 68th minute and through a touch of good fortune. Leao burst down the left and pulled back a cross to near the penalty spot, with Joao Felix’s first-time shot turned into the back of his own goal by Gallo.
Then, just three minutes later, Milan were handed the chance to level things from the penalty spot. A very clumsy challenge from Gallo inside the box saw the American take a tumble while looking to get away down the right side and he took on the responsibility from 12 yards, despatching it emphatically and leaving Falcone with no chance.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, the comeback was complete. The creator of the goal was Leao as he against marauded down the left and cut inside to deliver a teasing cross all the way to the far post, where Pulisic was on hand to get his second of the night and make it 3-2 in favour of the Rossoneri.
You really gotta feel for the few guys like Pulisic, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Reijnders, Jovic, Terra. Etc. Who actually put 110% in every game just to watch their teammates basically give up and not care what happens…
Reijnders? Don’t make me laugh. That guy is a passenger most games. Ever since Conceicao arrived, that guy has been useless.
Also, who cares about Jovic, Gabbia and Terraciano? They’re garbage.
I disagree. We sent Okafor away to get Felix. That is just trading of random names at this point. Both transfer windows proved totally random and now we know why Gimenez didn’t have offers from the EPL. This club was built on solid squad players and it is getting forgotten now. Gabbia is here now. There was Abate before, Abbiati, Simic, Antonini, Panucci, Brocchi, Bonera, Simone, even Gattuso and Costacurta. I can post more names of very solid squad players who contributed to success than Random stars like Felix.
You, like me, look for the negatives, and like today live to eat our words. Reijnders may have been off today and some of the time this season but he has established himself as Milan’s best player. To say he is garbage is far from the truth. Lighten up!
Very Dense comment…
If you don’t understand something, it’s better not to speak, instead to read and learn first.
Reijnders is the passenger in most games? I wonder why that is? Maybe…. just maybe it’s because Conceicao is playing an attacking midfielder in a defensive midfield position?
i hope this was a starting point for a winning streak
It seems to me that Musah is forced on the couch . He is a not a qualified a milan starter.
It seems like Cardinale is forcing him into the team.
thats your opinion. mine is, that Musah is not tactically mature yet and therefore making really bad decisions some times. but he is fast, strong, good technique, fighting spirit with endless batteries – many very good talents. i believe in him to be our new Kessie in 1-2 years.
“he is fast, strong, good technique, fighting spirit with endless batteries”
And yet all of that doesn’t matter one bit as the guy has zero understanding of the game. 99 times out of 100 he makes the wrong decision. Plus his passing and shooting is beyond horrible.
It’s just an indication of how little depth we have, we haven’t had any alternatives
Thank you Leao thank you Pulisic, hope against hope we can still get top 4
Unfortunately it’s a fantasy… the only way is Italy getting the 5th spot and us getting there after small Lazio crisis… other than that, there is no chance
Coppa Italia and top 5 is the goal atm…
Because all the Italian sides got a thumping from Benelux in the knockout rounds, the chances of Italy getting a fifth place are very low now.
Inter will do fine in UCL, Europa League and Conference also counts… Lazio can easily win Europa and go to UCL like that at 6th position…
Spanish teams have to flop now. Atletico is already relegated, Arsenal I hope can knock Real… in lower competitions they aren’t great…
We need to start with defending first. We lose and draw games because we always get counter attacked against. We need to focus on defending and look to counter other teams so we can establish a decent defencive style then start attacking. This is how we won the last scudetto, this is what motta is doing with Juve.
You know what’s funny. They will super motivate to beat Inter and after all is forgiven and forgotten. They will so proud to beat their harsh rival even it means they end up 10 in the league at the end of the season they will still be proud because they beat Inter. Concecao came specifically to rival Inter and smoke his cigar like he won the champions league. If Milan finished 6 you might consider that as a good season. You spend the entire year super motivated to beat Inter while there is no rivalry between those two
This midfield is a joke, ngl… 0 balance…
Thank you for this “masterclass” the 3 stooges in suits…
Getting Fabbian, Ricci, Frendrup/Rovella is a must for midfield and Italian spots
Why? And who cares
I want world class, and out of those names only one is a prospect to be top in my opinion.
If you want good old Italian you have to open the doors to comoetition by removing keague restrictions. May take a while but life tells us it works.
Look at La liga, EPL. Now they have their own top class.
Good breeds good, protection breeds Nepotism and the garbage you see today
Why? And who cares
I want world class, and out of those names only one is a prospect to be top in my opinion.
If you want good old Italian you have to open the doors to comoetition by removing keague restrictions. May take a while but life tells us it works.
Look at La liga, EPL. Now they have their own top class.
Good breeds good, protection breeds Nepotism and the garbage you see today.
What you want and what’s realistic are 2 different things… until we consistently perform well at UCL and raise our numbers, not including Serie A being handled with better management no top players will be coming our way…
Which top player has come to us? Biggest signing in the last 3-4 years has been Fofana and Gimenez, the rest well all discovered if you can remember anyone… Pulisic who is our best player, he also was a Chelsea reject…
There’s no balance cauae they’re nothing but a bunch of runners and ball carriers. Tjey don’t create anything, they don’t contribute in either phase offensive or defensive. They’re there for the number. They carry the ball into final third and then stutter. Don’t know what to do with the ball. And so they pass left and right.
Where is Tomori? It seems something is lacking in the defense. A winning spirit is not built in one day. Milan should have a coach with stability and not changing every time
Anyone notice Puli never went and celebrated with Leao? Says a lot of what Puli thinks of Leao on the team.
They actually enjoy playing together; both have said so. Don’t make something out of nothing
Everyone on the pitch and bench went to the corner to celebrate. Was Leao in that bunch? Don’t know and don’t care. For certain both are significantly more effective when on the field together and nobody finds Puli streaking to goal better than Leao (and Theo) since Giroud.
The magic passed from Abraham brought about those two goal