Moreira adapting to Milan and Gila saw ‘honestly disastrous’ first half | OneFootball

Diego Moreira admits he needed a little more time to adapt to Serie A and Milan after scoring twice against Lazio, but Mario Gila confessed their ‘first half was honestly disastrous.’

This was a truly chaotic encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, as Lazio had been leading comfortably 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Matteo Cancellieri and Tijjani Noslin.

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 12: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio competes for the ball with Ruben Loftus-Cheek of AC Milan during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on September 12, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

The Rossoneri made a triple substitution for the second half, and it paid off, as Diego Moreira scored twice in 120 seconds to level the result.

Christian Pulisic also impressed on his season debut after a microfracture at the World Cup, with his fellow USMNT player Yunus Musah also making an impact.

Moreira and Gila see two sides of Milan

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 12: Diego Moreira of AC Milan scores the team’s second goal during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on September 12, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“I am very happy for my first two goals, I would’ve been happier with a winner. I think it was a great second half and we could’ve done more,” Moreira told DAZN Italia.

This was the first brace of his entire club career, and so an even more remarkable achievement in his second appearance.

Moreira was poor in his debut against Juventus, and seemed almost too shy to attack, but that was on the right flank and today was in the left, so did that affect his confidence?

“I wouldn’t say I was shy, it was an introduction to the Italian League against a big team. I was on the left today, it’s the same for me both sides, so we’ll see the next game where I will play.”

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 12: Diego Moreira of AC Milan celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on September 12, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

This is the second consecutive draw for Milan in Serie A, but while they had been in front against Juventus and saw Federico Gatti snatch an equaliser, it felt like a get out of jail free card to claw back from 2-0 down with Lazio.

“In the first half we were honestly disastrous. We were not the Milan that we want to be,” Gila told DAZN Italia.

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 12: Mattia Zaccagni of SS Lazio competes for the ball with Mario Gila of AC Milan during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on September 12, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

“It was different in the second half, we realised who we are and what we want to do. I think we deserved more than a point for that second half, but we must work to avoid the first half happening again.

“We lost the ball too often in the first half, but when we’re strong on the ball, I believe we can be one of the best teams in the league. When you are not in good shape and lose duels, anyone can cause you problems.”