Match Review: AC Milan vs Hellas Verona
It was almost the perfect afternoon at San Siro, if it wasn’t for an unexpected goal conceded in the last minutes (Lee 85’). AC Milan dominated Hellas Verona from the start until the final whistle. Suso and Calhanoglu were unstoppable in the first half, in which the Spanish ace assisted Hakan to open the scoring (10’). The No. 10 was very close to net his brace on two occasions but in the end was Patrick Cutrone the man who doubled the lead (32’). The young striker has scored all his league goals this season with shots from inside box, an absolute predator. Soon into the second half, Ignazio Abate made it three and put the game to bed (49’). This was the right-back’s first Serie A goal in a home match; his previous four had all been bagged in away games. Finally, Fabio Borini netted the fourth in the 89’ to complete the team’s rock-solid performance. The Rossoneri reacted as coach Gattuso wanted: strong in defence and clinical up front. Not only they made a firm step towards securing a qualifying spot for the next Europa League, yet this win is a great morale booster ahead of Wednesday’s long-awaited TIM Cup Final against Juventus in Rome.
MATCH REPORT
Rino Gattuso makes three changes from the line-up that defeated Bologna last week, opting to start Romagnoli (back from injury) and Abate in defence, and Cutrone up front. It’s all AC Milan from the start. In the 3’, Suso tries from distance but Silvestri parries it away. In the 9’, Cutrone’s header is saved and Kessie’s shot on the rebound ends high over the bar. Only one minute later, Calhanoglu receives a back pass from Suso and breaks the deadlock with a first-time strike: 1-0! In the 15’ and the 18’, Hakan goes very close to scoring his brace after a couple of shots to the near post. In the 32’, the Rossoneri find the second: Cutrone receives inside the box, turns, fires and doubles the lead! Soon into the second half, following a one-two with Suso, Abate makes it three after a terrific shot. In the 70’, Romulo nearly pulls one back for the Gialloblu after hitting the post from a free-kick, and in the 85’, Lee manages to lash a volley beyond Donnarumma: 3-1. Just before the final whistle, Borini powers a half volley in at the far post and restores the three-goal lead: 4-1.
AC MILAN 4-1 HELLAS VERONA
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Abate, Bonucci, Romagnoli (62’ Musacchio), Rodriguez; Kessie, Locatelli, Bonaventura; Suso (58’ Borini), Cutrone (71’ Kalinic), Calhanoglu. Subs: Donnarumma A., Storari, Antonelli, Calabria, Gomez, Musacchio, Zapata, Mauri, Montolivo, Borini, Kalinic, André Silva. Coach: Gennaro Gattuso.
HELLAS VERONA (4-3-3): Silvestri; Bearzotti, Caracciolo, Heurtaux, Fares (76’ Aarons); Romulo, Danzi, Calvano (53’ Zuculini); Cerci, Petkovic (57’ Lee), Matos. Subs: Nicolas, Coppola, Verde, Fossati, Zuculini, Aarons, Lee, Boldoe, Ferrari, Souprayen, Felicioli. Coach: Pecchia.
REFEREE: Fabrizio Pasqua
GOALS: 10’ Calhanoglu (M), 32’ Cutrone (M), 49’ Abate (M), 85’ Lee (M), 89’ Borini (M)
BOOKED: 69’ Musacchio (M)
