AC Milan secured a very important three points at San Siro on Sunday night, beating Roma 3-1 to consolidate third place.
Milan took the lead early on through Yacine Adli, who scored his first goal for the club with a lovely shimmy and a well-guided shot inside the bottom corner.
The advantage was doubled through Olivier Giroud early in the second half, as he had the simple task of heading in from close range after Simon Kjaer’s nod back across goal.
Leandro Paredes halved the deficit when he converted a penalty to set up another nervy finish, but Theo Hernandez’s rocket in off the crossbar in the final 10 minutes sealed the win.
The result means that the Rossoneri took advantage of Bologna and Fiorentina’s slip-ups earlier in the day, which pads the lead to nine points to fifth place.
Stefano Pioli made changes from the team that lost to Atalanta in midweek, with Simon Kjaer, Yacine Adli and Olivier Giroud all coming into the side, with Noah Okafor returning to the bench.
Milan had the first shot of the game inside the first 38 seconds as Giroud latched on to a bouncing ball in behind and fired a low angled drive straight into the hands of Svilar.
In the 10th minute, the Rossoneri took the lead and it was a special moment for Adli. Milan retained the ball well with some short passes inside Roma’s half, and he sold his man with an excellent dummy before firing into the bottom corner with a pinpoint left-footed shot.
Tempers flared not long after the game between Theo Hernandez and Cristante after the full-back was bodychecked by the former Milan player and they had a square up.
Milan had a couple of good opportunities to double their advantage inside a couple of minutes. Firstly, a surging run infield from Christian Pulisic ended with him shooting towards the top right corner and Svilar caught it well, then Theo grazed the crossbar with a cross-shot from a narrow angle.
Up the other end Roma went in search of an equaliser, and some great work from Cristante found Celik inside the box whose angled drive takes a deflection and Maignan had to fingertip it for a corner, though it was going wide.
The game became very open around the half-hour mark, and a Theo cut-back inside the box seemed to be targeted by both Giroud and Pulisic, but it was the latter who saw a shot deflected wide off Llorente.
The chances continued to come thick and fast, with shots from outside the box from Paredes and Spinazzola – one going over and one saved – coming either side of Loftus-Cheek being found in space inside the box and going down instead of shooting.
Milan had the first couple of chances in the second half, with Reijnders and Loftus-Cheek both loading up shots from 20 yards that were wide of the target.
The Rossoneri really should have made it 2-0 when an excellent free-kick from the left side met the head of Matteo Gabbia who was unmarked deep inside the box, yet he somehow headed it back across goal and wide.
In the 56th minute it did become a two-goal advantage. A corner was taken short and crossed to the back post where Kjaer knocked it back over for Giroud’s header from point-blank range at the far stick. Cristante claims his shirt was pulled by Pulisic in the process, yet replays showed it was soft.
Calabria went from almost hero to zero in the matter of a couple of minutes. After dragging a shot wide of the near post he conceded a penalty at the other end for a clumsy foul on Pellegrini, and Paredes converted from the spot as he hammered it down the middle.
Pellegrini was causing Milan some problems after coming off the bench, with a free-kick from just outside the edge of the box deflecting wide and then a shot from a similar range being clutched by Maignan.
Pioli’s first two changes saw Noah Okafor and Yunus Musah introduced with Leao and Pulisic making way.
In the 84th minute, Milan did finally put the game to bed and Giroud was again involved. A ball was played into the path of Giroud whose perfect backheel flick in behind was charged onto by Theo Hernandez, and he laced a first-time shot in off the crossbar that Svilar had no chance with.
Musah nearly scored what would have been a fantastic solo goal to add some gloss to the scoreline in the final minute of normal time, snaking past multiple opponents before stabbing a shot onto the base of the post.
Milan Made in France.
PS: We really need to get a right defender
Adli best player on the pitch today, improving rapidly.
Also shout out Musah who was woeful on the right wing this season but had a great sub appearance today.
Just please do not change the 4231 again.
A very solid outing for most of the players. Adli with his goal and the cross that led to a goal (though not a direct assist).
And yes, I’ll say it again. Calabria could have very well cost us this game. And this stresses the need as to why we either need to play Terracciano as a RB, or find someone else.
Other than that, easy 7 to 8s for all the players on the pitch. Giroud gets an 8, and Adli an 8.5 MOTM for me.
gotta wonder why we didnt do this against atalanta.
We just dont want that cup
Cause Atlanta isn’t in terrible form like Roma.
Agree. Roma are performing so far below what their squad should be capable of.
But don’t worry Jose. It’s all because of the officials. Not you constantly and publicly undermining your players.
Typical Milan vs Roma in many respects. We win they lose… Giroud comes alive… Mancini and co playing rugby instead of football… Calabria nearly throws the game… Lukaku’s thighs thundering backwards into our box…
Always a nice end to any evening to see Mou’s depressed mug at the end. And now just 4 points behind Jube. Forza Milan.
🙂
I’d have preferred to see him depressed and carrying on at the sideline for 90 mins. Rather than just the odd stoney faced shot in the crowd.
Can we sell Leao please 😤😤😤.
A very solid win and a 180 compare to last year where we ended 2-2 after scored the first 2 goals.
Best player for me is Reijnder
Keep this good momentum against Udinese please.
I repeat: Adli is not that great physically speaking, but technically he is very good, a skillful and intelligent player. I believe he tends to become an important asset for Milan over time.
People have zero patience on this site. It’s clear he’s a great player in the making but if he’s not Zidane right off the bat he’s “garbage.”
His traits cant shine in a Defensive position. He was doing great as an AM in his old team.
Fantastic..I told you all so ..fed up with some of you writing off Olivier Giroud,,what a superb match he had tonight scored yet another goal,,also set up Theo Hernandez with the 3rd with a delightful flick on .
He also linked up play very will and tonight he covered a lot of ground and indeed got back and helped with defensive work ..I thought pulisic did really well ..he covered so much ground ,,that certain he was only taken off to have him available for the next game .
So must come back to my man of the match .Yes Olivier Giroud..technically this man is so gifted ,,he knows how to run into space and how to create space for others ..still the second highest scorer in sera a .37 years of age 10 goals 6 assists.
I do understand football as I have been involved at junior and senior level .
Keep poili as our coach ..next season we will reap the benefits…We are doing much better than most of you realise..
CURRENT WOULD YOUNGSTARS OUTSIDE EUROPE
Endrik, Estevao, Victor roque, paez, Jurado,Monslave
Endrik – Real
Jurado – Barca
Victor roque – Barcelona
Estevao – Chelsea
Paez – Chelsea
Nascimento – Nottingham forest
Monslave -??
Please Please Please. Let’s run and bring “MIGUEL MONSLAVE”””
Let’s run and bring this young star before he’s taken please.
All we know is just bringing dumped rubbish from Chelsea all the time.
Just another mention Aldi ,,,he is coming along really well ..A little disappointed with rafeol leao ,,but still a huge talent ,,,and plenty of good performances to come from him ,,no doubt ..
Just hope we can keep this form going in the leauge .
We are doing well .
Well done pioli ..a very good coach ..
Milan has a very good team however they lack
consistency, I know that they have a bad run with injuries but us fans would like to see that any player that takes the field should put an 110% effort.
Great team performance all around, the leaders led, the youngsters followed the plan and everyone contributed. Pleasure to watch, long may it continue.
Maignan dont forget
Maignan
Happy for Adli, this is a good confidence booster. I still see him as a diamond in the rough, can’t wait for him break thru, when he become of age as a starter for us. Not sure how much longer we can still rely on Giroud, hope Milan does something magical in the summer mercato.
Great performance. Thankfully I didn’t regret watching the game after all.
All the players did well, including Calabria (he only made a silly mistake that could have turned the tide around. Except that he was okay).
The only player that was below par to me was Loftus. He was not playing with his team couple of times. But he was important for us.
At first I didn’t like the substitutions (both Leao and Pulisic out) but it was on point after all, given the two man strikers Roma were operating with Beloti coming in.
Defence: what can I say, Pioli will have it tough when all the CB come from injury. Kjaer, Tomori, Gabia, Kalulu, Thiaw, Pelegrini… We might end up loaning one or two out during summer.
Kjaer is a man of experience that caters for his lack of pace.
Good one lads. Nice game play Pioli. I’m almost forgiving you for your past games.
Forza Milan.