AC Milan and AS Roma played out a dramatic 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico with both goals coming inside the six minutes at the end of the 90.
Given that the two sides came into the game level on 56 points and with the head-to-head advantage up for grabs, it felt like it could be a potentially decisive night in front of a sold out and intense crowd on Saturday evening.
However, in the end it would be a lack of quality in the final third from both teams that was the story of the match right until the third of six added minutes, when Abraham took a touch and fired into the bottom corner with Mike Maignan rooted to the spot.
Then, with the game seemingly beyond Milan’s reach, a cross from Rafael Leao on the left found Alexis Saelemaekers at the far post who bundled in a dramatic equaliser.
The result means that the Rossoneri and the Giallorossi remain level pegging on 57 points, but it does present an opportunity for Inter who are three points behind and play Lazio tomorrow.
Stefano Pioli made four changes to the starting line-up compared to the eleven that won against Lecce at San Siro on Sunday, with Davide Calabria and Simon Kjaer coming back into the defence, plus Ismael Bennacer and Olivier Giroud getting the nod.
The opening exchanges of the game were as nervy and cagey as the game itself was expected to be by many, with neither side committing too many men forward and instead looking to prod and probe to feel out their opponent.
The first half-chance of the game fell to Roma and Lorenzo Pellegrini, who had been hobbling after an earlier collision. A cut-back found him about 20 yards and in a central area, yet he fired well over the bar.
There was a bit of a worry for both teams on 10 minutes when a floated cross saw Giroud and Kumbulla collide, with the latter in a lot of pain holding his knee. Initially he was able to continue, but was forced off with Bove coming on.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Fikayo Tomori was given a yellow card for a foul down the left side on Beloit which means he will be suspended for the next game.
Milan’s first decent opportunity came in the 20th minute, with a cross from Brahim Diaz on the right flank was met by the head Rade Krunic who glanced his header well wide of the far post having not gotten a proper connection.
The Rossoneri continued to get forward, and when Theo laid the ball off to Leao who found the overlapping Calabria there was a chance to pick out a man in the box, yet the low cross was diverted behind.
Roma looked certain to take the lead when Belotti fed Spinazzola down the byline and he cut the ball back to Pellegrini, whose first time shot from deep inside the box was blocked by his own man in Abraham.
Tomori and Abraham – who came through the Chelsea academy together – collided while going for a loose ball and it was the Milan centre-back who came off worse. The blow to his hip looked like forcing him off, but Malick Thiaw was sent back to the bench.
The final chance of the first half fell to Calabria when a cross from Theo was touched into his path on the far side of the box, and though he made good contact with his first-time strike it sailed past the far post.
Tomori continued to clearly struggle with his hip and he was withdrawn at half-time, with Thiaw coming on.
The second half started in a very similar way to the first, with both sides again just trying to feel out their opponent, especially after the changes that came given Belotti also went off at the interval for El Shaarawy.
A second change came from Pioli on 55 minutes as Brahim Diaz – who had struggled to really establish himself in the game – was replaced by Alexis Saelemaekers.
The first big chance of the second half fell to Saelemaekers not long after he had come off the bench. Giroud did well to flick a long back into Leao’s path, and his cross found the Belgian winger at the far post who volleyed over at full stretch.
Not long after there were shouts for a red card after Saelemaekers was absolutely butchered by Ibanez on the right side, Charles De Ketelaere came on in place of Bennacer with 17 minutes left, and Pierre Kalulu took Kjaer’s place.
The game continued to drift towards the finish line with no teams willing to put too much on the line. A cross from Theo on the left met Saelemaekers’ head with six minutes left yet again he sent his effort well over.
Pioli made one final change with Giroud coming off after seeing a free-kick deflected behind off the wall, and Divock Origi was the man brought on to replace him.
In the fourth minute of six added at the end of the 90, Roma got themselves ahead. A ball played into the box found Abraham who beat Kalulu to it, taking a touch to open some space up and then firing into the bottom corner.
With the over 50,000 fans celebrating what looked like a home victory, Milan stunned the crowd and snatched a point. Leao picked up possession on the left wing and crossed to the far post where Saelemaekers was waiting to bundle in a late leveller and sent the away fans into raptures.
Shocking performance. That equaliser was a miracle that came out of nowhere. Pioli doesn’t know what he is doing. Midfield was poor and every attacking player was a huge disappointment today except for Leao. I’m only happy because we didn’t lose against the ugliest, dirtiest team in the league who should have probably had 2 red cards. F*ck Mourinho and Roma and I’m glad we stay above them. Forza Milan.
Agree about f*cking them. This was the ugliest match I’ve seen in years.
Remember that Brahim Diaz had 3 or 4 good games in 3 years > start him > be shocked by his performace, take him out in the 55 minute >
Remember that Brahim Diaz had 3 or 4 good games in 3 years > start him > be shocked by his performace, take him out in the 55 minute >
Remember that Brahim Diaz had 3 or 4 good games in 3 years > start him > be shocked by his performace, take him out in the 55 minute >
over and over again, until we end up in the Conference League…
man. they made me brake my keyboard with the 1-0 goal 🙁
Theo was having an off day this match. Not to say we’re a better side, but Roma was really ugly today. They played dirty as well. Cristante should see a red card, surprised the reff didn’t show him the 1st yellow after playing the advantage.
As always, the ref was embarassing. How can that hold on Leao’s shirt not be a yellow? They just ignore the rules.
I also hate this style of talking to players on the field. We’re here to watch football being played, not conversations between the ref and players.
Ugly, ugly game and the ref has part of the blame (besides Mourinho).
Krunic’s yellow was insane compared to the other fouls that didn’t earn Roma players any cards. But everyone knew what to expect when Orsato-the-Milan-hater was whistling.
Agreed. I thought he was gonna get booked when the camera focused on him, turned out nothing. Theo did fair on defense, but flop on ofense
One thing is to lose or draw against roma who generally isnt a pushover but the ammount of times we threw away the ball by not even being able to make the simplest passes that could also be expected of teenagers abilities and the same in regard of recieving and taming the ball is what i find the most unacceptable about todays performance.
I was livid when roma scored and turned off the match so i didnt see saelemaekers goal live but considering how late it came ill guess i have to be satisfied with the result but several of our players deserves the critique that might come their way after todays match.
Typical ugly, dirty game by same old dirtiest coach ever, or the the destroyer of the beautiful game JOSE MOURINHO. I don’t what the hell was VAR doing! Clear, cut red cards and not even a single review. Also, i guess defenders can wrestle forwards into the ground these days but no penalty, bs. Giroud being taken down UFC style was a penalty in my opinion. Thought VAR was utilized to catch those unseen fouls etc. However, that final pass was missing tonight, roma defended well and didn’t leave much room. Diaz was the far fr the diaz we’ve seen lately and poorest on our side in my opinion. Besides the cross from leao that produced the goal, the rest of crosses were very very poor. Feel sorry from giroud who fought his butt off, but no good delivery to him.
Orsato had made it clear to the VAR-guy that he doesn’t want to hear ANY penalty suggestions for Milan. As usual.
what i dont understand are the corners.. how you hit the first roma defender with the pass again and again is just sad. Also, considering that there are no Milan players at the first post so why the F are the passes going there in the first place… just sad.
Yeah. You would think that Benny & Tonali would have learned after the first 100 times not to cross the ball to the first opponent but no… Even amateurs from the lowest of the lowest divisions do better than those two. It’s infuriating.