AC MILAN v EMPOLI: THE DEBRIEFING

Three crucial points come in a delicate and demanding phase of the season. AC Milan have secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Empoli at San Siro, marking their second consecutive win in the league without conceding a goal. The Okafor-Pulisic combination, with Okafor providing the assist and Pulisic scoring the goal, decided the Serie A Matchday 28. Let's delve into three key elements and moments of the match.

FOLLOWING THE ACTION
Despite a change in technical guidance on the bench, Empoli's attitude remained unchanged. The Tuscan side defended with a deep block to protect Caprile's goal, aiming to deny AC Milan's wingers space to attack and opportunities for the centre-forward in the box. However, similar to the first leg, AC Milan found the right approach to unlock Empoli's organized defense. From the Leão-Loftus-Cheek axis in January to the Okafor-Pulisic duo in this encounter, the trailing runs of AC Milan's attacking players caught Empoli off guard. Loftus-Cheek's right-footed strike that opened the scoring at the Castellani had many similarities with Christian Pulisic's match-winning goal, as both players followed the play and turned a backward pass from the left flank towards goal. "I knew where to find him", commented the assist provider Okafor, and Pulisic duly delivered.

MINIMIZING RISKS
The pace of the game fluctuated and was often fragmented, but AC Milan's three points provided further evidence of defensive solidity. Another test passed, securing a second consecutive clean sheet after the one achieved at the Olimpico. It was important for the Rossoneri's defensive line to regain its composure after the two lapses in concentration against Slavia Praha. Overall, during the ninety minutes at San Siro, coach Pioli's team faced little threat, with Empoli rarely troubling Maignan, mainly from set-pieces and late on when energy levels dipped. Confidence must be drawn from this performance ahead of upcoming fixtures, starting with the Europa League Round of 16 second leg.

MINUTES AND ENERGY
The calendar is packed with fixtures, and the home challenge against Empoli came amidst a taxing and intense double-header in Europe. The bitter defeat in Monza had interrupted the playoff against Rennes, demonstrating that European competition demands extra effort and can detract from focus and application across all departments. This time, however, things played out differently, and in addition to the result, AC Milan welcomed back several players while others increased their playing time: from the returning Tomori and Kalulu to Okafor's encouraging performance, and the lively contributions from Chukwueze and Musah off the bench. Coach Pioli received the responses he desired; securing maximum points in such games is crucial for the entire squad. As they approach the final stretch and look to progress in both competitions, contributions from all players will be essential.

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