After an unprecedented scare, Milan manage to recover a match that seemed already lost. Amorim‘s side showed they know how to raise their heads in the face of adversity, but also that there is still plenty of work to be done.
First Half: Milan Lose Their Way
The match against Lazio promised to be heated and eventful from the very first 10 minutes. Chukuweze and Zaccagni immediately tested the opposing goalkeepers. Both teams left space in behind, leading to frequent counter-attacks and surges forward. On one of Zaccagni‘s bursts forward, Cancellieri was perfectly placed to tap in. Milan, who had seemed to start the game with good momentum, lost confidence and attacked in an increasingly toothless manner. The Rossoneri could not even press as effectively as in their opening fixtures, risking giving Lazio easy transitions whenever they lost the ball. Zaccagni found himself one-on-one with Maignan, who made a crucial save, while Frattesi fired just wide. Meanwhile, Milan continued to struggle to enter the final third and failed to force any meaningful saves. Their only resort was long balls – notoriously a tactic of desperate teams adrift. The Rossoneri’s disastrous first half was capped by an error from De Winter who, as seen before, proved incapable of clearing a ball in his own penalty area, inadvertently striking it against Noslin and into the net. The first half ended 2-0 to Lazio.
Second Half: The Impossible Comeback
The unthinkable happened in the second half. The substitutes, most notably Pulisic and Moreira, completely transformed Milan’s tempo. Amorim’s players looked fresher, fiercer, faster, and driven by the belief that they were still in the game. Fuelled by a pace and aggression not yet seen this season, Milan managed to equalise through two fierce strikes from Moreira. The momentum of the match gave the Rossoneri two golden opportunities through Cissè and Ramos. However, the final 20 minutes passed without any further notable incidents. The match ended 2-2.
Final Thoughts
Credit to Milan for showing a tremendous desire to fight back in the second half, following a truly dreadful opening 45 minutes. Their first defeat of the season has been postponed, but doubts over this team’s consistency are growing ever more apparent.
