AC Milan 0-1 Bologna: Ndoye punishes toothless Rossoneri with basic goal | OneFootball

AC Milan lost the Coppa Italia final to Bologna by a single goal on Wednesday evening, and their performance was ultimately deserving of the result.

Sergio Conceicao named two changes from the win on Friday night, bringing back in Youssouf Fofana and Rafael Leao after their forced absences (injury and suspension). Many expected Santiago Gimenez to be given a chance, but the Serbian Luka Jovic was preferred instead.

As first halves go, it certainly was not Milan’s best of the season. With Bologna dominating the ball and the chances. However, when the Rossoneri got close to the box, it normally had a bit of menace, though they were unable to get themselves ahead.

Bologna would break the deadlock in the 53rd minute, through Dan Ndoye. A goal that the Diavolo have ultimately conceded too many times this season. The defence turned off, were caught out, and paid the price.

The ‘comeback kings’ certainly weren’t up to their name in this game, failing to threaten much after the goal, making it a very frustrating result indeed.

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Milan were almost ahead in the first few minutes of the game as Rafael Leao danced through the Bologna defence before finding Alex Jimenez at the back stick, but the Spaniard didn’t connect with the ball well, sending it over.

It almost seemed like the Rossoneri were going to be made to pay instantly, as the Rossoblu came forward themselves instantly after.

Riccardo Orsolini was played through the middle and Maignan stopped him on the edge of the box – a brief heart in mouth moment. However, the Italian was deemed to be offside. In other words, a chance to breathe out after a lively 90 seconds.

A nice set piece from Bologna saw Castro unmarked in the box and he flicked the ball backwards towards goal, but Maignan got down well to his right in a split second. It seemed that the striker was offside in the replays, but you cannot take anything away from the save.

If Maignan’s save was good, then Skorupski’s was just as good a minute later, as the Rossoneri almost scored three times in less than 10 seconds. With the ball pinballing in the box, there was nearly an own goal from Beukema and Luka Jovic could have scored too. The ball then fell to Christian Pulisic, but he couldn’t connect.

Extremely unlucky, and on another day, probably 1-0.

A mental opening 15 minutes at a frankly ridiculous pace.

The following 10 minutes were dominated by the ‘away’ side, with Vincenzo Italiano’s high press suffocating the Diavolo quite substantially, leaving the occasional chance for a counter. However, none were really taken, with Conceicao’s team failing to really get out of their half.

Milan’s next chance came in the 32nd minute, as Jovic’s long ball got the team accelerating up the pitch. Jimenez was found with the pass and he slipped the ball into Leao, who drove into the box, but dragged his shot/cross wide with Pulisic also not able to get a foot on the attempt. The Portuguese was deemed offside, had it not been, it would have been a big chance missed.

Fikayo Tomori received the first booking of the game, but not for long as Lewis Ferguson went in heavily on Rafael Leao – causing the game to stop for a few minutes as medics came onto the pitch. Then, Christian Pulisic was booked shortly after the reset.

Admittedly, it seemed like the game was starting to get a little away from the referee with the latest yellow card of the three, with it being a very harsh booking for the American, first offence or not. As the half time whistle went, Leao certainly made his feelings known to the referee about a few incidents, even having to be pulled away.

Considering the Rossoneri have often started games poorly, going into half time at 0-0 will certainly be a positive. However, more definitely needed to be done from Conceicao’s side, with Bologna dominating rather heavily.

The second half started just as the first did; Rafael Leao tormenting the defence, and he won a corner within the opening few minutes of the half, before taking a chance to liven the crowd a little. However, Conceicao’s men could not provide another reason to road from the following set-piece.

Unfortunately, deservedly, Bologna took the lead in the 53rd minute, as the Diavolo again looked shaky in defence. Theo Hernandez’s initial tackle – which was great – unluckily fell to Dan Ndoye, who was left alone in the box, created an angle and fired past Mike Maignan.

It was another case of players being static and effectively freezing in a key moment. A goal which was probably coming, but certainly preventable.

Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images

As the game hit the 60th minute, Conceicao looked to his bench, bringing on Santiago Gimenez, Kyle Walker and Joao Felix for Luka Jovic, Fikayo Tomori and Alex Jimenez. Changes that took his side to a 4-2-3-1.

Pulisic attempted to weave his way into the box and almost got past three players successfully, but his final touch was slightly too heavy, and he lost the ball. A change from the slightly more direct football attempted since the goal, but with the same effectiveness frustratingly.

The final 15 minutes saw Milan start to control the ball more, with Bologna more than happy to press relentlessly rather than have possession. More often than not though it was the Rossoneri who were at fault for losing the ball, making an overly ambitious pass, for example, or just being generally sloppy.

In the final minutes of the second half, Conceicao opted to bring off Fofana and Pulisic for Tammy Abraham and Samuel Chukwueze, a last ditch effort.

The win cannot be taken away from Bologna, who were levels above Milan for the great majority of the game. However, Milan will certainly be frustrated with the performance, failing to even threaten after the opposition scored. A disappointing night, but perhaps a sign that change is clearly needed.