2-1. Parma guts Milan

Rome, Aug 24 (EFE).- Parma gutted Milan on Saturday on the counterattack, exposing the problems of a ‘rossonero’ team that, once again, put in an insufficient performance, far from the expected level, accumulating countless errors in defense and showing itself practically sterile in attack.

Fonseca’s Milan are not firing on all cylinders. The first matchday was a draw at the last minute thanks to Álvaro Morata, who came on as a substitute; in this duel, the first away match, they were unable to beat the newly promoted Parma. In both games they started behind on the scoreboard, and in both they managed to equalise. But in this case, the fantasy move invented by the Portuguese Rafael Leao to hand the American Christian Pulisic a draw was not even enough to scrape a point.

The truth is that the game was always where Parma wanted it, fully deserving of the 3 points and a clear executor of a perfectly orchestrated plan. So much so that in the 2nd minute they were already leading the scoreboard with a play that they would repeat ad nauseam throughout the match. Quick exit, change of direction and attack of the space behind Calabria and Theo. That was the game.

The first joy of the match for Parma was the Romanian Dennis Man. He invented a backheel to give some oxygen to the exit. The change of play got past Calabria and Valeri put a low cross into the heart of the area, where Theo Hernandez lost his mark and Man himself finished easily to open the scoring.

It was not an isolated play. Every lost ball by Milan was a danger. The high defensive line was a recklessness that Parma took advantage of with the quality of the Spaniard Bernabé Zapata, who had a free rein in the centre of the field. The home team had countless opportunities on the counterattack, which was very fast against a naked Milan.

The Rossoneri held on at half-time. Before that, they had only been dangerous from set pieces, but the break seemed to change things somewhat. Milan were more aggressive and more important, and Leao came into his own, and he needs very little to be decisive.

It was a move far from goal, but one in which he showed his magic. He sat his opponent down on the touchline, increased his speed, looked for Theo for a one-two inside the area and left Pulisic alone to push. Seen and unseen. Leao saved Milan against the newly promoted team. Or so it seemed.

The joy didn’t last long. Ten minutes exactly. Far from being intimidated, Parma didn’t lose face in the game and stuck to their plan, confident that they were their best ally. It wasn’t long before the counterattacks came back to haunt a helpless Milan. The goal disallowed for offside was a simple warning that was soon made official with Cancellieri’s goal in the 77th minute, identical to Man’s opening goal.

Milan were weak in defence. And they paid for it. Leao had to come on in attack to give them some breathing room, but even that was not enough. Fonseca has played two official games and no wins. Milan, for now, remains the same as last season. Weak in defence, without a clear game plan and lacking in attack.

— Technical sheet:

2 – Parma: Suzuki; Coulibaly, Balogh, Circati, Valeri; Estevez, Barnabas; Man (Almqvist, m.4), Sohm (Cancellieri, m.59), Mihaila (Del Prato, m.70); Bonny .

1 – Milan: Maignan; Calabria (Emerson Royalm.67), Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo Hernández; Musah (Fofana, m.67), Reijnders; Pulisic (Chukwueze, m.86), Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Okafor (Jovic, m.86).

Goal: 1-0, m.2: Man; 1-1, m.66: Pulisic; 2-1, m.77: Chancellors.

Referee: JL Sacchi. He cautioned Pavlovlic (m.34), Emerson ROyal (m.88) and Loftus-Cheek (m,92) for Milan.

Incidents: Match corresponding to the second day of Serie A, played at the Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma (north) in front of some 28,000 spectators.