Milan 2-1 Roma
Milan had a dramatic 2-1 win over league rivals Roma at the Giuseppe Meazza thanks to a 95th minute strike by substitute Patrick Cutrone in a game the Rossoneri fully deserved to win.
Gennarro Gattusso’s Milan wants to make an impact on Serie A with the express aim of making the top four. It will be a tough task, but they did themselves the world of good tonight beating a well organised Roma. The home side will feel they had more than enough possession and chances to put the game to bed well before the end, but they won’t mind the wait now.
The hosts were fancied to beat Eusebio Di Francesco’s Roma with Sbobet odds of 2.46, but with Roma at 2.83 and the draw at 3.25 it was always going to be a tight match.
Highlights of the game
Milan started on the front foot and Suso had a shot blocked on just five minutes then Hakan Calhanoglu tried his luck from distance but his shot was saved in the bottom left corner by Roma stopper Robin Olsen.
All eyes were on the big name strikers Gonzalo Higuain for Milan and Edin Dzeko for Roma and it was the Bosnian who showed first of the two, having a shot blocked on 21 minutes. But Milan continued to dominate and first Giacomo Bonaventura had a shot charged down and then Calhanoglu shot high and wide.
Then Higuain got in on the act, getting on the end of a corner, but his shot was off target. And then when Bonaventura tried to put him through Higuain strayed offside.
Aleksandar Kolarov is often an inspiring force for Roma, and he tried to get his side going, crossing for Patrik Schick who saw his header saved.
But it was all Milan and Bonaventura had another effort blocked and then, on 40 minutes, Milan’s pressure finally paid off. Ricardo Rodriguez put a dangerous ball into the box and Franck Kessie made no mistake from six yards.
It was no more than the Rossoneri deserved and a two goal lead at the break wouldn’t have flattered them.
Eusebio Di Francesco decided to ring the changes at the break and brought on Stephan El Shaarawy to replace Ivan Marcano to try to spark something. Javier Pastore had a quiet first half, but he found Dzeko in space and the Bosnian came close with his drive from just outside the box.
And then, on 59 minutes, Milan had cause to regret their failure to capitalise on their dominance when Roma drew level. Lucas Biglia conceded a corner and when Federico Fazio got on the end of the cross he fired low and hard into the bottom left corner.
But Milan thought they restored their lead within two minutes when Higuain latched on to a superb through ball from Bonaventura and finished coolly in the bottom right corner. But the home fans’ delight turned to despair when the goal was ruled out by VAR.
The Rossoneri continued to press; Suso had an attempt saved and then Higuain shot too high. But they were hit by another sucker punch when Steven N’Zonzi poked home, from a corner, from point black range. This time VAR came to the hosts rescue though and the score remained at 1-1.
Gattusso had his last throw of the dice, brining Cutrone on after 84 minutes, and what a substitution that was.
The big players eventually came through for the hosts, right at the death. This time it was Higuain threading a ball through for Cutrone and the striker fired home on 95 minutes to prompt bedlam in Milan!
Key statistics
Milan’s last gasp defeat to Napoli, in their opener, was hard to take, so this one was sweet.
Milan totally dominated the first half with 57 per cent possession and 11 shots to Roma’s two and their young keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had little chance to impress. But he had a slightly busier time of it in the second half as Roma ended with six shots. But Olsen was busy all night faced by 26 Milan strikes.
Serie A 2018 betting odds on Milan to make a top four place will shorten if they carry on playing like this and get the results they deserve.
The head-to-heads between these two clubs now stands at 21 for Milan with Roma winning 18 and 18 ending in a draw.
What’s next?
Next up Milan visits Cagliari on the 16th, before entertaining an attacking Atalanta side a week later. The Rossoneri is looking in good shape and we’ll bring you all the Serie A 2018 news updates right here at Sbobet.
Meanwhile Roma hosts Chievo, who gave Juventus a scare on the opening day and then the Giallorossi has a belting Champions League tie away to La Liga’s Real Madrid.
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