AC Milan hosted a tough Torino at the San Siro and managed to get the 3 vital points against the visitors.
The early stages of the game saw the Rossoneri start strongly after a second minute Andrea Belotti chance was crucially blocked by Cristian Zapata who had recently been performing exceptionally at the absence of reliable Milan center back, 21-year-old Alessio Romagnoli.
In the 14th minute, 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was tested as he came off his line to get to the ball before a fast approaching Bruno Peres only to be called upon again to make a wonderful save on a Zappacosta shot from a tight angle outside the penalty area.
Keisuke Honda came close to breaking the deadlock on the 27th minute having his free-kick hit the cross bar having beaten Torino shot-stopper Daniele Padelli.
In the 34th minute, Carlos Bacca had a sight at goal after a pass by Keisuke Honda found him, but the Colombian took too long to pull the trigger and was stopped by Torino’s Nikola Maksimovic and was followed by an Antonelli strike which was tipped for a corner.
Juraj Kucka went all out in the 43rd minute, getting passed every Granata player on his way and winning another free-kick in a dangerous position which Keisuke Honda took again, this time hitting the wall, and saw the Kucka rebound deflected out for a corner kick.
The Rossoneri took the lead through Luca Antonelli after a Bonaventura cross from the corner was met with a Kucka header which bounced in the path of the Italian full back who took a turn and blasts home for his second Serie A goal of the season.
Milan came close to getting their second goal in the 58th minute after a counter attack ended with a Bacca pass met an unmarked Bonaventura who curled the ball just wide from outside the penalty area.
Carlos Bacca scored what would’ve been the second had it not been called offside after a corner kick was headed just wide by Antonelli and headed in by the Colombian.
In the 72nd minute, Donnarumma saved well from a Ciro Immobile effort to maintain the hosts’ lead with nerves growing around the stadium.
Substitutions for Milan weren’t really effective as Kevin-Prince Boateng and Mario Balotelli came on for M’baye Niang and Carlos Bacca in the 69th and 89th minute of the game.
It wasn’t the best of performances, but it certainly was a hard fought battle for il Diavolo and a well earned three points putting them in sixth place, just one point behind city rivals Inter, who have a game in hand to be played the next day.
