BOLOGNA PUT TO THE SWORD AT SAN SIRO

Six wins in eight matches, four consecutive victories at San Siro since the restart, 20 points from a possible 24 and 25 goals, an average of more than three goals a game. These numbers reflect the fantastic spell that AC Milan are enjoying, with the Rossoneri putting in another magnificent performance and picking up another great result this evening. It finished 5-1 against Bologna tonight in a match which saw five different players get on the scoresheet, two of whom bagged their first Rossoneri goals: Alexis Saelemaekers, who broke the deadlock, and Ismaël Bennacer, who made it 3-1 at the start of the second half. The other scorers this evening were Ante Rebić and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, a sight we’ve become accustomed to seeing, and Davide Calabria, who rounded off the rout in stoppage time. Coach Pioli’s men dominated the first half, giving the away side no room to play with their perfectly implemented pressing game. Despite Tomiyasu impressively pulling one back, the team did well to keep up the intensity and put the game to bed after the break, extinguishing the visitors’ hopes of a comeback. Thanks to these three points, AC Milan now sit on 56 points in the league, just one away from Roma, who currently occupy fifth place.

REPORT
AC Milan began brightly, with Hernández seeing a near-post effort saved by the legs of Skorupski in the seventh minute. This proved to be the prelude to the opening goal, which was very well-worked by the Rossoneri: Rebić found an overlapping Hernandez with a back-heel, the Frenchman sent in a low cross which was dummied by Ibrahimović, and Saelemaekers was there to supply the finish and score his first AC Milan goal. The Rossoneri almost doubled their lead shortly afterwards: Rebić picked out Çalhanoğlu, whose first-time shot was beaten away by the Bologna goalkeeper. But the Turk wasn’t going to be denied and scored the Diavolo’s second on the 24-minute mark, capitalising on Skorupski’s mistake at the back and finishing with aplomb to make it 2-0. AC Milan came inches away from making it three in the 36th minute as Franck Kessie smacked the base of the post with a low drive (the 17th time AC Milan have hit the woodwork this season) after being set up by Rebić. The away side then went up the other end and threatened for the first time, with Orsolini producing a dangerous ball across the face of goal that Sansone was unable to reach at the back post. With the half coming to a close, and after Kessie had tested Skorupski from close range, Tomiyasu impressively found the top corner with a powerful left-footed strike in the 44th minute.

The second half began with a third AC Milan goal and another player scoring for the Rossoneri for the first time, Bennacer to be precise: Isma breezed into the Bologna box before confidently dispatching with his left foot. It wasn’t long before the Rossoneri scored a fourth, with Ibra picking out Rebić, who fired home on the turn after 57 minutes. After a series of changes on the hour mark, Theo, in his usual style, surged forward and blasted narrowly wide of the far post. Leão then saw his shot cleared off the line by Corbo as AC Milan continued to pour forward. The Portuguese youngster then had another effort in the 84th minute but was denied by Skorupski. In stoppage time, the same player provided an assist, rolling across for Calabria to net the Rossoneri’s fifth of the night.

MATCH DETAILS

AC MILAN 5-1 BOLOGNA

AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma G.; Calabria, Kjær, Romagnoli, Hernández; Kessie, Bennacer (79' Biglia); Saelemaekers (62' Krunić), Çalhanoğlu (62' Bonaventura), Rebić (82' Colombo); Ibrahimović (62' Leão). Subs.: Begović, Donnarumma A.; Conti, Gabbia, Laxalt; Biglia, Brescianini, Paquetá. Coach: Pioli.

Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski; Tomiyasu (60' Mbaye), Danilo (60' Corbo), Denswil, Dijks; Soriano (75' Svanberg), Poli, Domínguez (60' Baldursson); Orsolini (75' Skov Olsen), Santander, Sansone. Subs.: Da Costa, Sarr; Bonini, Krejci; Medel; Barrow, Juwara, Palacio. Coach: Mihajlović.

Referee: Massa di Imperia.
Goals: 10' Saelemaekers (M), 24' Çalhanoğlu (M), 44' Tomiyasu (B), 49' Bennacer (M), 57' Rebić (M), 92' Calabria (M).
Booked: 34' Dijks (B), 51' Kjær (M), 54' Saelemaekers (M). 

Match shirts, clothing, accessories, gift ideas and so much more: visit the AC Milan Online Store now!