Bologna 2-1 AC Milan: Second half collapse sees top four hopes all but ended | OneFootball

AC Milan’s already slim hopes of making the top four were dealt perhaps a decisive blow as they lost 2-1 against Bologna on Thursday night.

The home side had the better of proceedings in the first half but it was Milan who went in a goal up thanks to Rafael Leao. A flick-on from Santiago Gimenez was collected and he rounded the goalkeeper to slot in just before the break.

However, the Rossoneri collapsed in the second half. Firstly Santiago Castro was on hand to equalise from close range after a free-kick found its way to him, then in the closing stages Dan Ndoye also found the net from a few yards out to complete the turnaround.

It means that Milan are now eight points behind Juventus in fourth place and now also three points behind their hosts Bologna, with any hopes of a Champions League place now surely over bar the shouting.

Sergio Conceicao made one change to the starting line-up compared to the team that were beaten by Torino on Saturday, with Youssouf Fofana coming back into the side and Christian Pulisic dropping to the bench. It meant a reshuffle with Yunus Musah more on the right and Joao Felix alongside Santiago Gimenez up front.

Milan started the game well and had half an opening inside the first 60 seconds. Musah found Gimenez with a ball perhaps a little behind him, and the Mexican’s left-footed shot ended up over the bar.

It was a frantic start at the Stadio Renato dall’Ara in which Malick Thiaw was not far from another embarrassing own-goal after putting in his own net against Torino, albeit he knew a lot less about that one.

The right side was more heavily involved in the early exchanges, with Musah drawing a save from Skorupski’s legs from a narrow angle after being found by Jimenez, though it was a narrow angle in truth.

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There was a real moment of danger for the Rossoneri in the 25th minute when Theo Hernandez was taken out and no free-kick was given, then Ferguson found Ndoye’s run in behind but Strahinja Pavlovic did just enough to push him off balance as he shot.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued, with Mike Maignan making what can only be described as a reaction save to keep out a cross, then Fofana seeing penalty appeals waved away after going down inside the box.

Maignan was called into action again eight minutes before the break with Ndoye feeding Dominguez on the left side of the box, who got past Alex Jimenez easy but shot at the goalkeeper from a tight angle.

Just over two minutes before the interval, Milan took the lead and it came through Rafael Leao. A long ball from Maignan was flicked on well by Gimenez to find the run in behind from the Portuguese winger, who rounded Skorupski and slotted in with his left foot.

It took Bologna less than three minutes to level the score in the second half as Milan switched off defensively. Theo conceded a free-kick and a yellow card down the left side, and from the resulting delivery Fabbian’s chest-down was fired in from close range by Castro. There were appeals for both a handball on the assist and an offside, but they fell on deaf ears and thus it was 1-1.

Bologna then took the ascendency without really creating too much in terms of clear-cut opportunities, but an hour in Conceicao chose to change the attack with Christian Pulisic replacing Felix.

Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

Milan then had a couple of moments of their own, both coming through Musah. Firstly the USA international galloped away down the right, twisting and turning inside the box before seeing his shot stopped by Skorupski. Moments later he drove a low cross-shot that Castro blocked in the nick of time.

When Maignan came absolutely flying over 40 yards off his line to cut out a Bologna break and then collapsed in a heap of pain it looked like an injury substitution might be needed. He got up and continued though, so perhaps it was a ploy to stop a quick restart.

Conceicao did make another change with just less than 15 minutes left and it was a rather surprising one with Luka Jovic on and Gimenez off. Not long after coming on he headed a Fofana cross straight at Skorupski.

Bologna were very close to taking the lead twice in quick succession when Casale’s glancing header from a corner crashed off the post and then Cambiaghi connected sweetly with the rebound but sent it just over the bar.

They were not to be denied on their next attack though as Ndoye put the home side in front. Cambiaghi sent in a wonderful cross from the left side and Pavlovic was beaten to it at the near post, with Ndoye stabbing home from close range.

A final roll of the dice followed from the Milan coach with Jimenez – who had appealed that the ball went out in the build-up to the second Bologna goal – came off for Tammy Abraham.