AC Milan left it till the second half to safe the three factors in opposition to Empoli on the Stadio Carlo Castellani, however they did ultimately emerge 2-0 victors on Saturday evening.
The entire motion got here in an action-packed second 45 minutes, beginning with Fikayo Tomori (two yellows) and Marianucci (a kick-out at Santiago Gimenez) receiving purple playing cards in pretty fast succession.
Rafael Leao gave Milan the lead with a header on the far publish after Christian Pulisic’s deep cross, then Pulisic teed up Gimenez for his first aim since arriving, a end that confirmed why he’s the €35m man.
The end result implies that Milan hop into seventh place whereas ready for Bologna’s end result, with Juventus 5 factors forward in fourth having performed a sport extra. Fiorentina, in fifth, are 4 factors forward with the identical video games performed.
Regardless of experiences within the build-up to the sport suggesting there can be a number of adjustments to the group that beat Roma in midweek, ultimately with Joao Felix making his full debut instead of Christian Pulisic.
Milan began the sport positively and had a half-shout for a penalty inside two minutes when Tijjani Reijnders discovered Tammy Abraham inside the realm and Pezzella introduced him down, although the referee Pairetto believed there to be no incriminating contact and the VAR group agreed with him.
VAR was once more required to get entangled a couple of minutes later when Cacace went in with a really heavy problem on Kyle Walker which may have severely damage the English defender. A yellow card was given, and after a test it remained as that.
The primary shot on the right track got here from Yunus Musah who drifted in from the proper and drilled a low effort that the ex-Milan man Vasquez saved simply. On the different finish, Walker did nicely to dam a Grassi shot.
Felix earned his first yellow card since arriving on the membership within the nineteenth minute however he wished a penalty when he reduce between two defenders and went down contained in the field. Replays confirmed Pairetto acquired his name proper and the Portuguese had dived.
Milan continued to attempt to break by way of Empoli’s low block with fast passing and motion in and across the fringe of the field, one such occasion resulting in a shot from Joao Felix round 20 yards out which he dragged simply vast.
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Appeals continued to be directed Pairetto’s approach, and Jimenez was adamant that he had been introduced down whereas doubtlessly by way of on aim chasing a ball from Musah, but nothing was given regardless of the actual fact he was undoubtedly having his shirt grabbed.
Colombo got here mere inches away from hurting his mum or dad membership simply after the half-hour mark when he discovered area to fireside a shot contained in the field that curled and hit the upright, by some means bouncing again throughout aim however safely.
The ultimate try of the primary half got here through a free-kick proper on the sting after Theo had been shoulder-charged whereas making an attempt to pursue a by way of ball. The Frenchman took the shot on after Reijnders’ lay-off however bent it vast of the close to publish.
Conceicao clearly didn’t like what he’d seen within the first half as he made a triple change, with Santiago Gimenez, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic approaching with Fofana, Jimenez and Abraham coming off.
The attacking method play was immediately extra harmful, and twice Milan discovered a gap down the left aspect of the field by way of Felix and Leao, although twice the cut-backs have been cleared.
There was a massively controversial incident within the fifty fifth minute when Tomori acquired a second yellow card and was despatched off for a foul on Colombo. The rationale there was a lot confusion and protest was as a result of Colombo appeared offside and but the flag by no means went up, with VAR then unable to intervene.
Issues acquired even nastier from there, with Empoli receiving a purple card of their very own to even the sport at 10. Marianucci took a tumble as Gimenez backed into him and the defender lashed out on the ground by kicking the Mexican, leaving the referee no selection after a VAR evaluation.
Milan took the ascendancy once more after the purple card, and within the 69th minute they took the lead by way of Rafael Leao. A affected person assault was labored from one fringe of the field to the opposite, then Pulisic stood up an ideal floating cross for Leao to reach late and head house.
With slightly below quarter-hour left on the clock, Milan doubled their benefit and it was a dream second for Santiago Gimenez off the bench. All of the credit score for the set-up should once more go to Pulisic for his hold-up play on the break and his feed, with the Mexican settling the ball nicely simply contained in the field, chopping in on to his left foot and unleashing a strong curling shot that had Vasquez nicely crushed.
Felix did miss a possibility to additional add to the lead as he tried a dink just like the one he scored in opposition to Roma with albeit from tighter vary, however Vasquez was equal to it. That may be his final enter, with Filippo Terracciano taking his place.
Konate had one of the best try for the hosts within the last phases with a snapshot from the sting of the realm that wasn’t too far vast of the publish with Maignan rooted.
