Milan 1-2 Spezia: Leao, Agudelo and Gyasi

He thought it was overtaking, but it was a disaster. Milan comes out with broken bones from San Siro, crippled by Spezia who makes the coup and wins 2-1 in comeback with a goal by Gyasi in the 96 ‘, after Agudelo had replied to Leao. But the mistake of the referee of the referee Serra is really sensational: at 92 ‘Messias scores with a left-footed turn but the game is stopped because the referee whistled a free-kick for the Rossoneri (foul on Rebic) without conceding the advantage.

still spice it …

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Between the Rossoneri and the scudetto dreams there is once again the Ligurian team: a year ago, with the Picco 2-0, Spezia gave Inter the assist for overtaking at the top of the standings; today it repels the attack of the Pioliani to the summit. Inzaghi smiles, who has earned a point over his rivals (with a game to catch up), reflects Pioli: the first defeat of 2022 can leave dangerous aftermath, with Juve and derby scheduled for the next two days.

THE CHOICES

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Pioli has plenty only in attack, where Ibra is back in the starting position after the rest in the Italian Cup. Obligatory choices in the center of the defense, with Kalulu and Gabbia still holders (Romagnoli recovered from Covid but will be available from tomorrow), and in the middle of the field, where Krunic and Bakayoko would form an unprecedented median. We use the conditional because Pioli solves it by redesigning his team in an unusual 4-1-4-1: Bakayoko is the giant that makes wood in front of the defense, while Krunic builds further ahead, moving in line with Diaz. Motta re-proposes the same eleven who won in Genoa in the salvation challenge a week ago, but arranges them in a line-up that mirrors the Milanese one: Gyasi and Verde on the outside, Manaj the only striker.

LEAO LETHAL WEAPON

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The difference is made by quality and organization, and so the balance of conclusions hangs almost immediately on the side of the Rossoneri. Milan pushed, inspired by an at times irrepressible Leao and by an Ibrahimovic chasing his second goal at San Siro after four months of abstinence. The two share the Rossoneri opportunities. The Portuguese begins, shooting three times in twenty-five minutes. He touches the magic with a right turn that comes out of a whisker, then chooses to keep the ball low: acceleration and dribbling are still devastating, but this time it is Provedel who puts his hand in it and saves his own. The third attempt is a right from the edge on an assist from Saelemaekers, after an action that still blossomed from the feet of the Portuguese, but the aim is high. Between 27 ‘and 30’ Ibra tries: Provedel opposes the first opportunity with his foot, then Zlatan does not shoot from distance. La Spezia, who tries to surprise the Rossoneri defense with a blitz from Reca (primed by Gyasi) on which Maignan is careful, really does too little to worry the Devil. And life is complicated with a couple of defensive sleeps on which the usual Leao throws himself. The first, at 42 ‘, sends him into the area face to face with Provedel, who controls badly and collides with the Portuguese to prevent him from harpooning a flying ball. Serra whistles a foul on the AC Milan striker, but at the Var they recall him and the review on the monitor reverses the decision: penalty for Milan. Ibra continues to keep away from the spot, but Hernandez, an impeccable penalty shooter in Venice, misses the mark this time by sending to the side. It is 45 ‘and the five thousand at San Siro grumble smelling the air of a haunted match, but the bad thoughts vanish shortly after: another mistake by the Ligurians on a throw from Krunic, another accelerated by Leao, who bypasses the goalkeeper with a delicious lob and unlocks the game .

LIGURIAN OVERTURN

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The changes made in the second half shift the balance of the match: well, very well for Spezia, badly for Milan. Motta inserts Agudelo for Manaj, and the Colombian’s speed disorients the central pair Kalulu-Gabbia. The newcomer first sent Gabbia out of the loop, making him warn, then punched Maignan by putting Green’s nice cross from the left into the net. Milan, who had almost doubled a few minutes earlier with Saelemaekers, lost confidence, inspiration and the right distance, trembling on the bites of Spezia on the counterattack. Pioli runs for cover by passing to the double center-forward, Giroud plus Ibra, while Calabria’s return to the field (last match in the November derby) reshapes the right chain: the blue full-back has the task of pushing on that side together with Messias. At 81 ‘Agudelo again sows panic in the Rossoneri area, placing a ball in the middle that Calabria sweeps away, then it is Kovalenko (another new face who has entered the final) who calls Maignan to intervene. Pioli also plays the Rebic card (inside for Leao with 6 ‘from the end), but gets little: the Croatian serves Ibra who slams again on Provedel. The worst, for the Devil, is yet to come: in the 92nd minute Messias scores with a left-footed shot but the game is stopped because the referee blatantly whistled a free-kick for the Rossoneri (foul on Rebic) without giving the advantage. The hands run amidst the controversy, but the final title is written by Gyasi at 96 ‘: he receives the ball from Kovalenko after the usual Agudelo snatches it away from Kalulu and beats Maignan. Thiago Motta on the sidelines is irrepressible: in a week he knocked out Shevchenko and Milan. Not bad for a former Nerazzurri triplet.