AC Milan opened their season with a dramatic 3-2 win over Torino at San Siro on Sunday afternoon.
Carlos Bacca bagged a hat-trick, including a goal from the penalty spot, as Milan raced out to a 3-1 lead.
However, a late Rossoneri collapse allowed Torino back into the game, with Donnarumma saving a last minute penalty to secure the three points.
Milan, playing their first league game under Vincenzo Montella, started brightly and were close to taking the lead when Ignazio Abate’s seventh minute cross was desperately cleared. M’Baye Niang was waiting to head home.
In the 15th minute the hosts came close again, this time Carlos Bacca finding Niang, and the Frenchman’s volley narrowly evaded the left post as he sent the effort back across goal.
Juraj Kucka nearly managed to poke Milan into the lead inside 20 minutes, but was unable to reach the loose ball as the ‘keeper collected.
It was the 38th minute when the Diavolo took a deserved lead, and it had to be Carlos Bacca. The Colombian was on hand to head home Abate’s pinpoint cross from close range to put the transfer speculation to one side and give Milan the lead.
Andrea Belotti got Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side off to the perfect start in the second half, restoring parity at 1-1 with a neat glancing header that beat Donnarumma.
However, just two minutes later in the 50th minute, Bacca gave Milan the lead again. Niang wound up a cross on the left side which the #70 brought down well, smashing home with his second touch to make it 2-1.
In the 62nd minute, Bacca made sure he was going home with the match ball. Giacomo Bonaventura was chopped down by former Inter man Joel Obi, and Bacca moved his tally to three goals for the season by smashing home the penalty confidently.
The last 20 minutes would be seemingly comfortable for the Rossoneri, with a two-goal lead, but they collapsed under pressure from Torino after substituting off Bacca and Bonaventura and gifted away two opportunities in added time.
Daniele Baselli got his side back into the game in the 91st minute; collecting the ball on the edge of the box, flicking round the outside of the defence and slotting past Donnarumma comfortably.
And in a dramatic late twist, Gabriel Paletta was accused of holding a Torino player inside the box in the 93rd minute, conceding a penalty and receiving a second yellow card in the process.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – already regarded as a hero amongst the San Siro faithful – produced a wonderful save to deny Belotti from the spot and make sure the three points stayed in Milan.
It’s a win for Vincenzo Montella, and for 70 minutes it was a good performance with plenty of tempo, although the late collapse leaves plenty for the team to work with.
