POINTS SHARED IN SARDINIA: CAGLIARI 3-3 AC MILAN

Late disappointment for the Rossoneri at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari. Zappa's late goal denied AC Milan what would have been a vital victory in terms of morale and the standings. It ended 3-3 on Serie A matchday 12 following an eventful and topsy-turvy 90 minutes of football. The team reacted well to the hosts' early opener and took the lead thanks to a brace from Rafa. However, the Rossoneri afforded Cagliari too many chances and the hosts drew level early in the second half through Zappa. Tammy did make it 3-2 to us but Zappa again scored the equaliser to dash our hopes of claiming all three points. A win would've been a good end to a week of three tough away fixtures (Monza, Madrid and Cagliari) but it wasn't to be.

It was, however, a night to remember for Francesco Camarda, who made his first Serie A start at the age of 16 years, 7 months and 30 days. He put in a good display, linking up well with his teammates and putting in plenty of hard work. He even had a headed chance in the second half. Abraham came on in his place in the 66th minute and scored just three minutes later; good news for him after his shoulder problem in recent weeks. With the disappointment of a late lead let slip, we head into the final break of 2024. We get back underway in the league against Juventus at San Siro on Saturday 23 November.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM CAGLIARI v AC MILAN

MATCH REPORT
The first half was full of action right from the start. After 70 seconds, the hosts went ahead through Zortea who sent the ball flying across the box following a corner. This didn’t set the Rossoneri back too far as we did well to react quickly through Leão, going close in the 9th minute before equalising in the 15th. Reijnders for Rafa who attacked the space to send the ball past Sherri. Following the 1-1, we risked something costly with a corner: in the 17th minute, Luperto freed himself up in the box but didn’t manage to trouble Maignan. The hosts were the better side for the next period and had a goal from Piccoli ruled out for an offside in the 28th minute. In the 39th minute, Maignan put in a huge save on a Zortea header right before the Rossoneri took the lead: in the 40th minute, Fofana down the middle for Leão who skipped Palomino and beat Sherri to make it 2-1. Cagliari didn’t stop pushing, and Maignan stopped Piccoli who went close with a header in the 45th minute. The Sardinians had another goal ruled out, this time from Viola who got a touch on a ball from Zappa in the 47th minute, but it was again offside. We went into the break 2-1 up. 

The second half got underway without any changes and the Rossoneri had a chance right away: Camarda went running down the left and put in a good cross for Chukwu who didn’t manage to bury the ball. In the 53rd minute, Cagliari went level through Zappa who exploited a misread situation between Fofana and Pavlović to put it past Maignan. AC Milan tried to respond with Camarda getting his head to a ball from Pulisic but lacking the right connection. Reijnders made a central run in the 65th minute, misplacing his shot. Then came the 3-2 in the 69th minute thanks to substitute Tammy Abraham, in the right spot to tap home the rebounded shot from Pulisic. In the chaotic final minutes, Cagliari managed to find a leveller through Zappa again, burying the cross from Augello. In the 89th minute, it was 3-3 and Okafor had the final chance with a weak header on a cross from Musah. Not much to be done, it ended even.

MATCH DETAILS

CAGLIARI 3-3 AC MILAN

CAGLIARI (4-2-3-1): Sherri; Zappa, Palomino (73' Wieteska), Luperto, Augello; Makoumbou (79' Marin), Deiola; Zortea (79' Pavoletti), Viola (73' Gaetano), Luvumbo; Piccoli (79' Lapadula). Subs.: Ciocci, Scuffet; Azzi, Obert; Jankto, Prati; Mutandwa. Coach: Nicola.

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; E. Royal (81' Musah), Thiaw, Pavlović, Hernández; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze (66' Loftus-Cheek), Pulisic (81' Tomori), Leão (81' Okafor); Camarda (66' Abraham). Subs.: Sportiello, Torriani; Calabria, Terracciano. Coach: Fonseca. 

Referee: Fabbri from Ravenna. 
Goal: 2' Zortea (C), 15' Leão (M), 40' Leão (M), 53' Zappa (C), 69' Abraham (M), 89' Zappa (C).
Booked: 61' Fofana (M), 90'+1 Hernández (M).

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