AC Milan grind it out at the Bentegodi: Three crucial points against Hellas Verona
0′-45′
AC Milan immediately show a familiar script: a compact block and the search for transitions to trigger the qualities of Pulisic and Leão. The opening phase is sleepy. The American tries straight away to slip the Portuguese through on goal, missing by a fraction. Leão is sent into space down the flank a couple of times on the break, but he gets tangled up and still looks weighed down by physical discomfort. The first real attacking spark, after a long range Edmundsson effort that flies well over, comes through the Pulisic to Rabiot lane.
The number 11 releases the Frenchman, who is brought down without the Faroese centre back being shown a yellow. At minute 21, Oyegoke is forced off with a muscular problem. He is replaced by former Sassuolo player Pol Lirola, who has been used very little so far in Verona. AC Milan increase their pressure and win another set piece.
Akpa Akpro is booked, but Bartesaghi’s free kick goes high. Shortly after, Athekame breaks into the box from a beautiful Modric pass, then wastes the final ball with a rushed, frantic choice in a potentially lethal situation. Around the half hour, a good Pulisic action opens space for Fofana, but he hesitates on the pass to Rabiot, who is in a great position and ends up receiving the ball on his right foot, short, instead of on his left.
AC Milan struggle to move the ball quickly, so Rabiot raises the level himself. He starts the move from midfield, finds Leão between the lines, then attacks the depth again, beating Montipò with a left footed finish across goal for 0 1 at minute 42. Leão has a chance to make it two almost immediately, but on Fofana’s long ball Nelsson reads it well and takes away the cut inside. Two minutes of added time are given and AC Milan almost stumbles. Belghali runs in behind, but Maignan saves the situation with a strong intervention.
45′-90′
Sammarco takes off Bradaric and introduces the very young attacker Fermesan to give Hellas Verona more weight up front. Belghali produces the first shot of the second half at minute 53, a powerful right footed strike from distance that goes just wide of Maignan’s right post. On the hour, Fofana tries to sprint and then stops with a muscular issue. He goes off along with Leão and Athekame. Ricci, Gimenez and Saelemaekers come on. Belghali remains Verona’s biggest threat.
He proves it again at minute 67, bursting down the left and shooting, with the attempt turned out for a corner. Fermesan also tries from range and forces Maignan into action, then takes responsibility again from the edge of the box, bending it from the corner of the area and narrowly missing the top corner. AC Milan’s difficult moment seems to end when Saelemaekers finds Gabbia for 0 2 at minute 74, but a Gimenez offside in the build up rules it out. The suffering continues.
AC Milan risk conceding an equaliser late on when a driven ball into the box forces Gabbia into a decisive block inside the six yard area, denying two close range attempts and saving everything. In the final moments Orban tries again, AC Milan resist with huge effort, and in added time Valentini clears on the line after a poor counterattack by AC Milan, stopping a point blank Saelemaekers finish.
