AC Milan’s unbeaten away league run was ended on Sunday night as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away against Torino after what was a lacklustre display.
Milan missed early chances and ultimately paid the price in what was a damaging two-minute spell in the first half. The first goal for Torino came from a free-kick as an unmarked Djidji headed past Ciprian Tatarusanu, and the second goal came shortly after with Aleksei Miranchuk finishing with a deflected shot.
The Rossoneri were gifted a route back into the game when a long hopeful ball from Sandro Tonali was not dealt with as a miscommunication between Milinkovic-Savic and Buongiorno saw the ball fall to Junior Messias who curled into a virtually empty net.
The result means that Milan were unable to keep pace with the other teams around them that won and Napoli now move six points clear, while Inter and Juventus gain ground.
Stefano Pioli opted to make multiple changes to his starting line-up compared to the team that beat Dinamo Zagreb in midweek as Fikayo Tomori returned from suspension, Tommaso Pobega came into the double pivot to face the team he was on loan at last season while Junior Messias, Brahim Diaz and Divock Origi came into the attack.
The first chance of the game fell to Rafael Leao as Brahim Diaz found the winger with a smart switch ball to the far side but unfortunately the ball was never really brought under control and the eventual effort from inside the box was sliced wide.
Another golden opportunity presented itself to Leao and again it was Brahim Diaz who fed the Portugal international on the break, this time with a pass along the ground that seemed like it just needed stroking home with a sidefoot and yet again Leao scuffed the shot.
There was a moment of concern for the Rossoneri on the quarter-hour mark as Pierre Kalulu went to the floor and was writhing in pain after getting an accidental boot in the face from Nikola Vlasic, however he was able to continue.
Torino forced a smart save from Ciprian Tatarusanu in the 19th minute as ex-Milan loanee Pietro Pellegri was found with a ball in behind that allowed him to fire at the near post, and moments later the Romanian goalkeeper caught a shot from Aleksei Miranchuk after the resulting corner was not cleared.
Two quickfire yellow cards for the home side told the story of how disjointed and scrappy the opening half was, and Leao was left kicking himself again after letting fly from around 20 yards out after a Granata player stumbled to leave him in space yet he laced his shot well over.
It was Torino who took the lead ten minutes before the break and it was a set piece that was Milan’s undoing again. Kalulu was penalised for a foul near the touchline and the resulting free-kick was headed in by an unmarked Djidji via the far post.
Less than two minutes later they had doubled their lead and this time it was Miranchuk who got his name on the scoresheet. As Torino players appealed for a handball from Gabbia, the Russia international seized possession and fired past Tatarusanu with a low shot into the bottom corner.
Pioli’s response to a poor first half was to make a triple change signifying his unhappiness. Kalulu came off for Sergino Dest, Brahim Diaz was withdrawn for Charles De Ketelaere and Leao made way for Ante Rebic.
Milan created their first dangerous chance in the fifth minute of the second half as Rebic’s first action was to whip in a teasing ball that drifted across the face of goal but was just in front of two runners, Origi being the closest.
Dest became the latest to try his luck when a darting run inside from his right-back position saw the ball bobble up and he put his foot through it though it fizzed over the bar.
Milan were gifted a route back into the game as Messias halved the deficit midway through the second half. A long and hopeful ball towards the Brazilian looked like it would be easily dealt with but some miscommunication between Buongiorno and Milinkovic-Savic saw the keeper stranded in No Man’s Land giving Messias the task of curling into an empty net.
With 20 minutes left on the clock and Ivan Juric having been sent off for dissent shown towards the referee, Pioli opted to bring Tonali off for Ismael Bennacer.
A final change came for Milan with 13 minutes left on the clock as Olivier Giroud came on for Messias, meaning that Pioli decided to go with two up front in search of the equalising goal.
The last chance that Milan fashioned was a free-kick that was nicely positioned centrally around 25 yards out but was struck into the wall and went behind for a corner, with appeals for a penalty for handball rejected by the referee and the resulting set piece headed over.
