LECCE v AC MILAN: TIME MACHINE

At Via del Mare in Lecce, on the penultimate matchday of the first half of the season, the Rossoneri took on the newly-promoted Giallorossi. An interesting and tricky contest, which has not occurred on Salento soil since 22 June 2020, in what was the first day of Serie A after the long lockdown break. AC Milan won 4-1, starting a long positive streak, but Saturday's match will be a different matter and, to introduce it at its best, let's go back to 2011/12 and a fiery victory for the Rossoneri. 

SETTING THE SCENE
It was a sad Sunday for Italian sport, which mourned the death of Marco Simoncelli, a great AC Milan supporter, and the Rossoneri took to the pitch wearing black armbands. It was Serie A matchday 8, Allegri's Rossoneri were in fifth place with 11 points and were fresh from a 3-0 home win over Palermo. In the lunchtime kick-off, at Via del Mare, the Rossoneri took the field with a 4-3-1-2, Robinho behind Cassano and Ibra. 

FIRST HALF SHOCK
Di Francesco's Salentini attacked the match and found the lead in the 4th minute with Giacomazzi, who headed the ball past Abbiati. AC Milan struggled to find their rhythm and were cornered by the Giallorossi, who doubled the lead on the half-hour mark with a penalty from ex-player Massimo Oddo. Before half-time the hosts' third goal also arrived, thanks to the input of Uruguayan Carlos Grossmüller. In the 37th minute the scoreboard read 3-0 to Lecce, and the game seemed already wrapped up. 

BOATENG LEADING THE COMEBACK
Half-time brought good advice and on the return to the pitch Allegri made two changes: Boateng for Robinho and Aquilani for Ambrosini. The spark came immediately, thanks to the Ghanaian, who took less than five minutes to score with a powerful left-footer under the crossbar. Prince's agonistic charge woke up the team and in the 55th minute it was again him, from an assist by Cassano, who found the net with a clinical right-footed shot into the top corner. The comeback did not stop there and in the 63rd minute it was complete, with Boateng's deflected shot to seal his hat-trick. In the final minutes there was also room for the incredible and unthinkable winner scored by Mario Yepes, who rose higher than anyone else following Cassano's cross and put the final seal on an unforgettable afternoon. 

The PUMA AC Milan Kits for the 2022/23 season are available: get yours now!