Football Italia
·18 May 2024
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·18 May 2024
Torino sliced Milan’s defence apart with two free headers and a Ricardo Rodriguez scorcher to keep their European hopes alive and leapfrog Napoli into ninth place.
The Rossoneri continued to revamp after securing second place, leaving Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud on the bench, while Mike Maignan, Simon Kjaer, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Samuel Chukwueze were injured, Matteo Gabbia suspended and Theo Hernandez struggling with flu symptoms. Toro missed Nikola Vlasic, Koffi Djidji, Gvidas Gineitis and Perr Schuurs, but Alessandro Buongiorno and Duvan Zapata passed fitness tests.
Adrien Tameze wasted a golden opportunity when ballooning over undisturbed from 12 yards on the Pietro Pellegri pull-back, then Vanja Milinkovic-Savic intercepted the Noah Okafor assist for Christian Pulisic at the near post.
Okafor went so close with a curler inches past the far top corner after a Tijjani Reijnders counter-attack, but it was Toro who took the lead moments later.
Ricardo Rodriguez whipped in a cross from the left and Duvan Zapata was allowed a totally free header between Milan centre-backs from 12 yards into the far bottom corner of the net.
A ball in that was just begging to be headed into the back of the net 🤤 Duván Zapata adds the finishing touch to a wonderful searching ball from Ricardo Rodriguez… Milan trail to Torino! — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 18, 2024
Christian Pulisic nodded over, but Torino doubled their lead with what was incredibly an even freer header than the first. Raoul Bellanova’s cross from the right found Ivan Ilic so unmarked, he didn’t even need to jump, merely steer it in from 12 yards.
Ivan Ilić makes it two for Torino against Milan… How about the turn from Pietro Pellegri dropping into midfield? 🤩 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/2q71IcfdRZ — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 18, 2024
Yunus Musah saw his rocket accidentally charged down by teammate Malick Thiaw, but within 20 seconds of the restart it was 3-0. Former Milan player Rodriguez unleashed a left-foot rocket off the underside of the crossbar from 20 metres out after the Rossoneri were sluggishly caught in possession.
Ricardo Rodriguez unleashes a rocket against his former club 🚀 Torino are tearing through Milan! 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/bhnFIHvFkl — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 18, 2024
Pulisic thumped his shot against the bar from the edge of the area, but it wouldn’t have counted anyway, as the referee gave a free kick for an earlier push on Buongiorno.
Milinkovic-Savic stood tall to deny Luka Jovic on the Pulisic slide-rule pass, but Adam Masina gave away a penalty when hooking Pulisic across the neck, so Ismael Bennacer converted from the spot.
Ismaël Bennacer sends the keeper the wrong way after Christian Pulisic was brought down in the box… One back for Milan 👀 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 18, 2024
Marco Sportiello struggled to deal with a looping Duvan Zapata header and Tameze intercepted a dangerous counter-attack for Rafael Leao, but Luka Jovic shinned his over-head kick off target.
Late on, Rafael Leao went on a trademark solo run to cut inside from the left, but his shot was parried by the goalkeeper.
The Torino shot-stopper also kept out Fikayo Tomori’s header in stoppages, but it wouldn’t have counted over a push.
Duvan Zapata 26 (T), Ilic 39 (T), Rodriguez 46 (T), Bennacer pen 54 (M)
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