Frosinone-Milan 2-3 at the Benito Stirpe stadium. The Rossoneri suffered but in the final they snatched the victory and three important points.
Milan is third in the standings with 49 points; Frosinone with 23, five more than Verona and Cagliari who have yet to play.
The first part of the race was full of emotions especially in the first half of the match. Frosinone immediately started strong but Pioli’s team took the lead al 17′ with an excellent header from Giroud on an assist from the left by Leão. After 7′ the Portuguese inadvertently commits a handball. The penalty kick for the hosts it transforms it Sole. After the equalizer, Milan tried to rely on some gallops from Leão, but the Ciociaria defense always responded.
In the second half after the good pace of the first minutes, the race seems unable to break free again when, almost surprisingly the hosts they score the momentary goal lead in the 65th minute with Mazzitelli. The Rossoneri react and return to parity in the 72nd minute with Gabbia. In the 81st minute the new substitute Jovic of the head signs the final 2-3 for Milan at the “Benito Stirpe”.
The formations
Frosinone (4-3-3): Turati; Gelli, Okoli, Romagnoli, Brescianini; Mazzitelli, Barrenechea, Harroui; Soulé, Kaio Jorge Seck. All. By Francis
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, T.Hernandez; Reijnders, Adli; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud. All. Pioli
LaPresse
Frosinone vs Milan – Serie A TIM 2023/2024 — Matias Soule’ (Frosinone Calcio)
The match
Very aggressive start of the hosts. For the guests, Maignan and Adli miss the goal kick, Mazzitelli recovers the ball and in the area manages to serve Soulé: the Argentine turns the left foot from outside the area, but the ball ends up wide.
The Rossoneri responded in the 3rd minute it is entrusted to Leão who runs away quickly, the Portuguese serves Theo Hernández; the number 19 crosses for Pulisic, but the American winger is unable to stop the ball and loses contact with the ball.
After the first 10′ of skirmishes, Milan raises the pace of the game and takes the lead in the 17th minute. Loftus-Cheek recovers the ball and serves Leão, the number 10 from the right crosses into the area for Giroud. The number 9 heads towards Turati’s goal. The home goalkeeper is unable to oppose and concedes the goal. Suspected offside, later dispelled by VAR.
Frosinone’s immediate response in the 19th minute: Brescianini receives inside the area, comes back on the right and shoots. His attempt is weak and Maignan saves.
At 21′ on the development of a corner for the “lions”, Leão innocently touches the ball crossed into the area by Gelli with his hand: after seeing the VAR Pairetto whistles the penalty.
Penalty kick converted in the 24th minute by Soulé: it’s 1-1 at “Benito Stirpe”.
Enthusiasm on the pitch from the Frosinone players as they achieved a draw, which was held back with some difficulty by the Rossoneri who, however, built a dangerous move in the 35th minute. Nice gallop from Leão who leaps past three opponents on the restart and verticalizes for Giroud. The number 9 from the back crosses for his teammates, but neither Pulisic nor Leão manage to push the ball into the goal.
The hosts insist in the last minutes of the first half of the match in search of the opening goal.
At 45’+2′ Milan had the opportunity to take the lead: Giroud feeds Leão in depth, the number 10 arrives in the area and crosses for his teammates. Gelli slips and dirty the attempt, but directs it towards Turati’s goal. The Ciociaria goalkeeper manages to remove the ball from the goal and from Pulisic’s availability.
After three minutes of injury time Pairetto sends the teams to half-time.
In the first minutes of the second half very fragmented game. The teams cancel each other out in the center of the pitch with a good competitive pace. A few too many mistakes on both sides.
At 10′ of the second half the pace they have dropped a little and the race is alive with sudden flare-ups.
Frosinone seems to have more at this stage and, pushed by their fans, wants the opening goal. In the 57th minute Kaio Jorge came back from the left edge of the penalty area to his right and shot to the near post, his attempt ending up on the back of the net.
In the 61st minute, double change for Pioli: Loftus-Cheek and Reijnders out, Bennacer and Okafor in.
In the 65th minute the yellow-blue “lions” took the lead with Mazzitelli. Soulè pots in for the insertion of the Frosinone captain who crosses from the short side of the small area towards Maignan’s goal. The French goalkeeper is passed on his post and concedes the goal to make it 2-1.
The Rossoneri react and in the 72nd minute they score the equalizer with Gabbia.
From the corner developments the ball is moved quickly and Adli crosses to the center for Giroud’s head, the Frenchman acts as a buffer for Gabbia’s incursion who, from a few steps, heads the ball into the net.
Two minutes later Leão once again he runs down the left, passing Gelli and placing the ball at the penalty spot, but no teammate took advantage of the opportunity.
In the 80th minute Pulisic comes out for the guests and Jović comes on
After 1 minute since his entry the new head forward scores the third Rossoneri goal. Cross from Theo Hernández from the left, the Frosinone defenders lose control of the ball which lands in the right foot of the number 15 who sends the ball into the net.
Five minutes of injury time granted by the referee but the result does not change: 2-3 in Frosinone.
LaPresse
Frosinone vs Milan – Serie A TIM 2023/2024 — Goal by Luca Mazzitelli (Frosinone Calcio)
Getty
Frosinone vs Milan – Serie A TIM 2023/2024 — Goal by Matteo Gabbia (AC Milan)