Mark Saelemaekers, Portuguese reversal between second half and extra time. At the last second the unexpected equal from Calhanoglu’s spot before the incredible final from eleven meters
1st October
– Milano–
Difficult to use the right terms to explain AC Milan’s crazy night in Vila do Conde. The Rossoneri have died and risen four times, eventually reaching the group stage of the Europa League even if it were the climb of Everest with their bare hands. The first in the 120th minute, when Borevkovic’s madness took away from Rio Ave a well-tasted qualification, held in the hands and incredibly slipped away from the last useful ball. The other three on penalties to the bitter end, when the Portuguese had the match point in their feet, after the errors from the spot by Colombo, Gigio Donnarumma and Bennacer, but they threw the opportunity to the winds every time. Milan plays badly, goes on with Saelemaekers, gets overturned between the second half and the start of extra time, resoundingly catches the 2-2 at minute 121 and then eliminates the opponents only after 24 penalties. Only with such a plot can Pioli overcome the curse of the European play-offs (already out at the time of Palermo with Thun and Lazio with Leverkusen) and celebrate their first goal of the season: Milan remains in Europe. Almost without knowing how.
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Maldini
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Pioli’s surprise move, smelled on the eve of the press conference by the reporters present, is Daniel Maldini, false nine, supported by Castillejo, Calhanoglu and Saelemaekers. Paolo’s son is damned, but in front of the balls arrive few and dirty, at least until the change all in Spanish sauce: in fact, at the interval Castillejo comes out, Brahim Diaz enters and Milan grows in cleanliness of the plots and unpredictability, at least for twenty minutes. And the Rio Ave? Gama’s team seems to be the perfect cliché of Portuguese football for 75 minutes: good dribbling, tactical discipline, but little idea where the opposing goal is. But then…
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The match
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The first half could be summed up with the more classic “nothing to report”. Rio Ave dribbles, but apart from a couple of balls dished around Donnarumma, it leaves no traces. Milan would have a few more opportunities to hurt, but Calhanoglu is less inspired than usual and the Rossoneri miss the last pass that couple of times that the Portuguese find themselves unglued with respect to Gama’s diligent game plan. As mentioned, it is the Castillejo-Brahim Diaz gearbox that gives the race a first adrenaline rush. The corner from which the Milanista advantage was born, at 51 ‘, was born from a valuable incursion by the former Real Madrid, blocked at the last minute by Borevkovic. On the short rejected of the next corner, Saelemaekers catches the wild card with a powerful low shot that leaves Kieszek motionless.
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Braking
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Rio Ave, once under, does not change their attitude and Milan seem to be in control. Indeed, Calhanoglu on a free kick in the 70th minute goes a few centimeters from doubling. At 72 ‘, however, there was a draw from nothing: action in speed on the left, Piazon put in the middle for Geraldes who with a powerful left inflated Donnarumma’s network. The first sortie is 1-1. From then on, however, Milan completely stopped playing. A question of legs or head? Probably both. The Rossoneri goal is likely to capitulate again in the 91st minute, on Santos’s dirty tiraccio in the fray that hisses to the left of Donnarumma’s post. More than a thrill, a signal before the end of regular time.
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Additional
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Because as soon as the referee Manzano kicks off the extra time, here is the 2-1 of Rio Ave. A rebound on Kessie actually sends Gelson in the door who crossing with the left leaves no way out for Donnarumma. Milan are under, almost without realizing it. And the shock is such that Pioli’s team, who in addition to Leao, who entered previously, will also throw Colombo and Tonali into the fray, struggling to catapult into the fight for a good 10 ‘. Then the desperate assault. Bennacer on a free kick in the 105th minute: Kieszek raises over the crossbar. The Polish goalkeeper is also exalted in the 115th minute on Theo Hernandez’s blow slightly deflected. Nothing to do, until Borevkovic’s madness. The Croatian central jumps on a harmless bell tower and touches his hand in the penalty area with his very wide arm. Penalty and expulsion, Calhanoglu beats right and overcomes Kieszek for the 2-2 which leads the teams to penalties.
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From the disk
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Bennacer and Geraldes, Kjaer and Santos, Hernandez and Jambor, Brahim Diaz and Piazon, Calhanoglu and Augusto (with the spoon!), Calabria and Dala, Tonali and Gabriel, then miss Colombo and Monte (with the double post!), They start scoring again Leao and Ivo Pinto (with the ball that Donnarumma passes under the body after touching it with his hands). Gigio himself shoots high immediately after and is imitated by his colleague Kieszek. The series of penalties starts again after the first ten each (only Gabbia has avoided in the Devil) and the series of Rossoneri mistakes with Bennacer continues, Geraldes hits the post. Simply crazy! Kjaer makes a personal encore, Donnarumma finally decisive rejects Santos’ shot and it’s over, 11-10 for Milan after 24 penalties! Milan are in the groups of the Europa League but what an effort …
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October 1, 2020 (change October 2, 2020 | 00:23)
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