AC MILAN DRAW AT HOME TO ROMA

A dreary end to an almost perfect evening. Roma scored two late goals at San Siro to peg the Rossoneri back following a dominant performance from the hosts. AC Milan's first home game of 2023 ended 2-2, which will be cause for some regret. Kalulu's first-half header and Pobega's goal had given the hosts a deserved, commanding lead. But, disaster struck in the 87th as Ibañez halved the deficit for Roma, who had never threatened before then. Abraham it was who scored the unexpected equaliser deep into stoppage time.

Pioli's side came away with just one point after a solid display against the Giallorossi. The hosts hardly put a foot wrong in the first 87 minutes, which will provide encouragement for our upcoming fixtures. Furthermore, the result does not detract from the fact that Tommaso Pobega, who played well off the bench, scored his first Serie A goal for the Club tonight. Our guests, however, are noted dead-ball masters and struck twice from set pieces, which will surely be looked at in training this week. Next up, we have a Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie with Torino on Wednesday (21:00 CET at San Siro) before a trip to Lecce in the league on Saturday evening.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v ROMA

MATCH REPORT
In the pouring rain at San Siro, the first chance of the game came to the home side inside three minutes: Rafa’s cross found Sandro but he failed to direct his header towards goal. The match was a tight affair with the pattern of play laid out: Roma holding back with AC Milan finding little space to work in. Just before the half-hour mark, they found an opening thanks to Theo’s break forward, who played in Brahim, but his shot from the edge of the box was pushed over. From the resulting Tonali corner, Kalulu got in front of his marker and headed home to give the Rossoneri the lead. AC Milan tried to capitalise on the goal with Saelemaekers’ right-footed strike off target. The Giallorossi got their first real chance of the game after 42 minutes with a nice piece of play by Zalewski, who cut back onto his right foot but couldn’t get enough curl on the shot and watched go wide of the far post.

Three minutes after the break and the home side immediately had a chance: Bennacer played a long, darting ball through for Leão, but his left-footed attempt went way over the bar. It was us again after 52 minutes with Theo’s shot skidding off the wet surface to trouble Rui Patricio, who saved well. AC Milan continued to push forward, with Calabria’s cross finding Giroud, who couldn’t get enough angle on his header. Just after the hour mark, Díaz came close to doubling the lead with another strike from the edge of the box that went just wide. But the second eventually came: Rafa drove forward on the break and played in Pobega, completely free in the box, who struck home with his left perfectly to make it 2-0. The game wasn’t over, though. Three minutes from the end, Roma pulled a goal back through Ibañez, who rose above everyone else to head home from Pellegrini’s corner. And three minutes into stoppage-time, the equaliser arrived, again from a corner routine: Tătăruşanu saved from Matić, but the ball fell to Abraham just a few yards out and he made it 2-2.

MATCH DETAILS

AC MILAN 2-2 ROMA

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Tătăruşanu; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernández; Bennacer (74' Vranckx), Tonali; Saelemaekers (85' Gabbia), Díaz (70' Pobega), Leão; Giroud (85' De Ketelaere). Subs.: Mirante, Nava; Bozzolan, Dest, Thiaw; Adli, Bakayoko; Lazetić. Coach: Pioli. 

ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Mancini (89' Belotti), Smalling, Ibañez; Çelik (78' El Shaarawy), Cristante (66' Matić), Pellegrini, Zalewski; Dybala, Zaniolo (66' Tahirović); Abraham. Subs.: Boer, Svilar; Kumbulla, Spinazzola, Viña; Bove, Camara, Volpato;  Majchrzak, Shomurodov, Solbakken. Coach: Foti.

Referee: Massa from Imperia. 
Goals: 30' Kalulu (M), 76' Pobega (M), 87' Ibañez (R), 93' Abraham (R)
Booked: 9' Çelik (R), 9' Mancini (R), 26' Leão (M), 30' Zalewski (R), 45' Zaniolo (R), 62' Bennacer (M), 68' Tomori (M), 72' Tonali (M), 73' Pioli (M), 90' Matić (R)

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