AC Milan’s a hundred and twenty fifth anniversary celebrations weren’t marked with a win as they had been held to a disappointing 0-0 draw in opposition to Genoa at San Siro.
If a response was anticipated after the loss to Atalanta and the post-match fury from Paulo Fonseca after the Pink Star recreation, it was a response that didn’t come as Milan had been gradual and imprecise all night time.
Genoa did their bit to make it a irritating spectacle with a resolute defensive efficiency, however substitute Alvaro Morata squandered the 2 greatest probabilities of the sport, hitting the bar with one.
The end result signifies that the Rossoneri haven’t taken any strides in the direction of the Champions League locations and have really dropped to eighth place within the desk after Bologna’s win.
Paulo Fonseca determined to make from the staff that beat Pink Star with Emerson Royal and Alex Jimenez coming into the defence plus Samuel Chukwueze, Mattia Liberali and Tammy Abraham slotting into the assault.
The primary likelihood of the sport fell to Milan and Leali was referred to as into motion. Tijjani Reijnders strode ahead unopposed with the ball and a neat interchange involving Tammy Abraham and Emerson Royal noticed the latter have a low shot tipped behind.
Reijnders was once more the person who was the spark for the second likelihood too, seizing a stray cross out of the again and feeding it to Abraham on the best aspect of the field. The Englishman had time and area to shoot, however dragged his effort huge of the far put up.
Twenty minutes into the sport Milan had a giant penalty shout turned down as Liberali acquired the ball and reduce onto his left foot however was introduced down by Miretti, but the referee Marco Guida informed him to play on. Replays confirmed there was contact, although the official maybe didn’t just like the theatrical fall.
The Rossoneri then assumed management of the sport as Reijnders got here shut with a free-kick from a slender angle that was taken quick and deflected simply over, earlier than a beautiful flick from Rafael Leao allowed Jimenez to cross for Samuel Chukwueze whose first-time shot sailed over.
Not lengthy earlier than the break Genoa had a penalty shout of their very own and it was roles reversed from the earlier incident with Miretti going over underneath Liberali’s problem. It regarded a very good shout, however the referee remained constant in not awarding something apart from a stone wall spot kick.
The ultimate second of hazard within the first half got here when Jimenez tried his luck from distance with a right-footed shot from exterior the world, with a deflection altering the path although Leali managed to gratefully collect.
Fonseca made a change on the break with Alvaro Morata approaching for Abraham, a like-for-like change with the Spaniard approaching having handed a late health take a look at.
Leali was immediately referred to as into motion within the second half when he made a superb diving cease at full stretch to disclaim a header from Emerson Royal that appeared to be angling completely in the direction of the far nook.
The second half descended right into a lull and so, shortly after he sailed a cross out for a purpose kick, Liberali was taken off for Francesco Camarda.
Genoa’s recreation plan of sitting off Milan and making an attempt to frustrate them was working as there was little or no in the best way of scoring alternatives within the second half usually. Leao dragging a shot huge of the close to put up and Jimenez firing astray from 25 yards had been nearly as good as issues acquired as much as minute 70.
Morata had an opportunity to make himself the hero off the bench when Reijnders led a break and slid a by way of ball to him on the best aspect of the field, but the Spaniard – who reduce inside nicely to ship the defender sliding previous – curled a shot excessive of the highest left nook.
Straight after that missed likelihood, Noah Okafor got here on for Chukwueze and he took up a place on the best moderately than his traditional left-sided position.
Morata then spurned a good larger likelihood to open to scoring with quarter-hour left. Once more it was Reijnders who offered the cross that appeared to unlock the Genoa defence, taking part in by way of to the striker who one way or the other rattled the crossbar from about 10 yards out with solely the goalkeeper to beat.