AC Milan 2-4 Bologna: Second half collapse sees Amorim suffer first league defeat
AC Milan suffered a second-half collapse against Bologna at San Siro, going from leading 2-1 to eventually losing 4-2.
Things didn’t start well for Milan when Samuel Mbangula put the away side in front early on, but then Alphadjo Cisse netted a quick fire brace to turn things back in the Rossoneri’s favour, though it was not to last.
Bologna got themselves level again thanks to an own-goal, and then they retook the lead two minutes late as Mbangula was again on hand to finish. The Belgian completed his hat-trick late on to make sure of the three points, and condemn Ruben Amorim’s men to their first defeat of the season.
San Siro was half-empty at full-time after what was a miserable evening, and certainly not the ideal way to go into Saturday’s derby, one which Inter will start already six points ahead.
First half: Alpha at the double
Ruben Amorim chose to make three changes from the side that beat Udinese on Sunday night. Pervis Estupinan replaced Sankhoun Diawara at left-back, Yunus Musah gave Luka Modric a rest, while Alphadjo Cisse got the nod over Christian Pulisic.
It took less than one minute for Bologna to have the first shot on target of the game. Milan tried to play out of the high press and failed, turning over possession on their right side, though two passes later Pobega sent a rather tame shot into the grateful grasp of Mike Maignan.
It was an end-to-end first few minutes under the San Siro lights. Milan’s first proper attack saw Cisse and Davide Bartesaghi combine well having broken the lines, with a sliding challenge cutting out what would have been a great chance for the former.
The resulting corner produced a ricochet, but then up the other end Zortea darted between two men to surge into the box, though his low cross fizzed across the face of goal.
In the eighth minute, it was the away side who drew first blood through Mbangula. A sloppy giveaway first from Estupinan and then from Musah surrendered possession in a dangerous area, allowing Zortea to slip away again down the right side of the box and to find the Belgian, who fired in first time with the defenders ball-watching.
It did not take long for Milan to draw themselves level though, as Cisse got his first San Siro goal. To describe it as a bit of a gift would be fair, however, as the Bologna centre-back Theate – under pressure from Omari Hutchinson – tried a very risky pass across his own box that the Italian fired past Skorupski first time.
Milan continued to have problems defending down their left flank. Bernardeschi was allowed to get to the by-line and he pulled a ball back into a dangerous area that was ultimately scrambled away, though Maignan and the centre-backs were not happy with the lack of communication.
Cisse was not satisfied with having ticked the box of netting his first home goal, as he got his second of the night in the 28th minute. Hutchinson was involved again down the right side and after he was held up, Tomori ran onto the loose ball to fire one across the face of goal, where the 20-year-old was waiting to volley in from close range at the far stick.
The confidence was brimming after the relatively quick turnaround, with Cisse trying tricks and flicks that were tormenting the ex-Inter man Darmian. Just after Jashari fired not far wide from 25 yards, Tomori pulled up with what looked like a hamstring issue, though he wanted to try and carry on.
Second half: Vertical collapse
Unfortunately, Tomori’s first half muscle issue was enough to see his night ended early, with Luka Modric coming on to replace him and with Musah moving to the right-back role.
Bernardeschi gave Milan their first scare of the second half as he again got deep inside the box and again aimed to square to Odgaard, though Strahinja Pavlovic did well to clear, before Goncalo Ramos went down with after a challenge holding his knee.
The man at the heart of Bologna’s mission to get back on terms remained Bernardeschi, who did well to win a ball back in midfield and surge forward, pinging in a cross for Odgaard who slid in and couldn’t quite hit the target from a few yards out, though it was a tough finish.
In the 58th minute, Amorim made a double change: Sankhoun Diawara and Christian Pulisic were the two players who came on, replacing Estupinan and Hutchinson.
Right on the hour mark, the away side got themselves level from a free-kick as Milan’s set-piece woes continued. It was a wicked delivery from Miranda on the left side the flew across the face of goal and was eventually turned into his own net by Davide Bartesaghi, but it was one of those where there were a queue to turn it in.
The turnaround was complete two minutes later, with the Rossoblu taking the lead. Luka Modric believed he was fouled by Pobega in midfield but no whistle came. Cambiaghi found space down the left side of the box, spotted Mbangula, found him with a pass and the first touch was brilliant to create space before the finish for his second of the night.
Another change followed, with Amorim throwing caution to the wind. Bartesaghi was the one who made way for his Italy U21 team-mate Francesco Camarda, signifying a change to playing two up front.
The situation had gone from being one that had the crowd buoyant, they quickly turned to being nervous, especially when a bad giveaway on the edge of the box with 15 minutes left saw Cambiaghi roll one not far wide with Maignan rooted.
Camarda was inches away from getting his first senior Milan goal inside the final 10 minutes. Cisse curled in a delightful cross from the left flank that met his head perfectly, or almost perfectly as he glanced it just wide of the far post.
The contest was put to bed with four minutes remaining, as Mbangula made it a hat-trick. Camarda was dispossessed near the half way line and Odgaard beat De Winter’s offside trap, squaring to Mbangula who was all alone for an easy finish.
