AC Milan failed to capitalise on two occasions where they took the advantage, as they played out a 3-3 draw at the Unipol Domus.
Leading up to the game, there had been focus from Paulo Fonseca on keeping his team grounded, stating that the weekend’s fixture would require as much respect as the midweek match did. As he did in the Champions League, Fonseca opted to go slightly bold with his selection choices and named Francesco Camarda in the starting eleven, though this decision was somewhat forced.
It took just two minutes for the hosts to take the lead in the game, and it came with Milan looking switched off. A poor corner found its way to Zortea who fired past Mike Maignan. In the minutes that followed, the hosts kept up their pressure, but the Rossoneri eventually made their own chances.
Tijjani Reijnders found Leao brilliantly within the penalty area and the Portuguese winger prodded home to level the scoring. 25 minutes later, the star doubled his tally for the evening with an equally brilliant goal, and it is fair to suggest he looks back to near his best.
Just 10 minutes after the interval, the hosts levelled the game after a really poor backpass from Youssouf Fofana – who struggled more than we have often seen during the game – put Zappa into a nice position, and Maignan could do nothing to prevent a goal.
Just minutes after being brought onto the pitch, Tammy Abraham latched on to a saved shot and tapped the ball home for his first Milan goal from open play. Perhaps, not the most deserved goal, but no one will complain.
Regardless of the tactical changes from Fonseca, the Rossoneri failed to solidify themselves at the back and Zappa was found at the back post from another cross and he fantastically volleyed the ball past the flailing Maignan.
It was certainly not the start that Fonseca would have demanded from his side because, after just two minutes, the hosts took the lead. With the first attack of the game, Cagliari won themselves a corner which Viola delivered. As Milan failed to deal with the ball into the box, it eventually fell to Zortea who volleyed the ball past Maignan.
The following minutes were filled with the Rossoneri struggling to find their feet, and there were a few occasions where the hosts looked like they might extend their lead, however, a few potshots did not result in anything.
Following the opening five minutes of one-way traffic, the Diavolo came forward themselves, first winning a corner which Theo failed to do much with. Just minutes later Leao had a potshot of his own after some impressive pressing from Camarda, but his speculative shot was fired just over the bar, probably due to him being slightly off balance.
It took just 10 minutes for Milan to get themselves on the scoresheet after some more back-and-forth action, and it was a goal of fantastic quality. The Rossoneri worked the ball nicely through the midfield before Reijnders lofted the ball over the defence into the leaping Leao who prodded home nicely.
A deserved goal, and something to build from, but it is fair to say that the visitors struggled to produce much more in the minutes that followed and it almost cost them.
In the 28th minute, it seemed that Cagliari had once again taken the lead as Piccoli was played in behind the high line of the Diavolo, but he was slightly offside, and his goal was chalked off. Perhaps, a warning sign, or maybe a showing of the work Milan have done on their defensive shape. Either way, they were let off on that occasion.
The following 10 minutes were filled with half chances as both teams threatened to take the lead. Had it not been for Maignan, Cagliari probably would have done. After a cross into the box, Zortea once again was the man to cause Milan danger, this time with his head, but the Frenchman met his shot brilliantly.
Almost instantly after the attack, the Rossoneri took the lead themselves with a Ronaldo Nazario-esque goal from Leao. His first was delightful, but his second was just as good. Breaking through the middle, the Portuguese winger raced towards the 18-yard box before rounding the goalkeeper and putting the ball into an empty net.
Absolutely phenomenal. A sign of Leao’s confidence returning, perhaps.
The lead was almost short-lived though, as Cagliari once again had the ball in the back of the net, this time through Viola. Zappa’s shot made its way towards the bottom corner, and the 35-year-old ensured it met the back of the net, albeit from an offside position. Once again, perhaps lucky for Milan. However, they would not complain.
Half-time followed shortly after and it was probably welcomed by both managers, with Fonseca likely to tell his side to relax somewhat now they were in the lead, whereas Davide Nicola likely took the time to remind his squad of the off-side rules after six untimed runs.
The second half began just as the first did, albeit this time Milan the aggressors. Christian Pulisic and Camarda linked well, and the Italian chose to cut the ball back, rather than taking a shot. With his first touch, Samuel Chukwueze attempted to find the back of the net, but he dragged his shot wide. A positive start, though.
Zortea almost levelled the game again after some shaky defending from Strahinja Pavlovic. However, a nice block from Theo was enough for the shot to rebound back off the attacker, and the Rossoneri escaped.
The hosts did not have to wait long to get themselves on level terms. A ball over the top was headed clear by Thiaw, but after a poor pass to Reijnders, Youssouf Fofana slipped in the oncoming Zappa and he slotted the ball past Maignan. Very poor from the Rossoneri, but ultimately, the victim of their own undoing.
It seemed like the next action of the match would be putting Camarda’s name in lights after some nice work down the right by the Diavolo, which eventually saw the youngster connect with a cross, but his header was saved easily.
Milan failed to get themselves really on top of the game in the minutes that followed, and whilst Camarda came close again the majority of the attacks were in the hosts’ favour.
Shortly after a Reijnders half chance, Fonseca opted to make the first changes of the game, bringing Ruben Loftus-Cheek on for Samuel Chukwueze, and Abraham for Camarda.
Within three minutes of entering the pitch, the Englishman showed his value, getting himself into a dangerous area and tapping home. The attack started with Theo and eventually found its way to Pulisic – the winger drove into the box and shot across the goal, and although his shot was saved it fell into the path of the substitute. 3-2.
10 minutes from time, Fonseca opted to make his final changes of the match, aiming to secure things somewhat. Noah Okafor, Yunus Musah and Fikayo Tomori came on in the place of Leao, Pulisic and Emerson Royal – shifting the side into a similar five-back system.
Cagliari continued to come forward into the dying embers of the game, and Milan failed to really put a stop to their attacks, and eventually, this was punished. A sloppy attempt to play it out from the back resulted in the hosts attacking down the flank before crossing and Zappa finished fantastically on the volley to level the scoring.
It’s a goal that was probably coming with the Rossoneri continuing to play themselves into trouble, and once again, the Diavolo were their own enemies.
As things stand, Milan now sit seven points away from Napoli who sit in first, and the gap could extend to 10 if the Partenopei win on Sunday. If Fonseca’s side had a mountain to climb to be in the Scudetto race before, they have only made it more challenging for themselves.
