Bologna 2-4 Milan, Notes On A Night When Points Were Almost Thrown Away
Still reeling from a large injury list – all of Rebic, Kessie, Diaz, Theo, Maignan, Messias, Florenzi, Pellegri and Plizzari out – Milan set out to overcome Champions League disappointment with a visit to Bologna.
A mostly uneventful first 10 minutes changed somewhat with a higher pace and a half chance or two. A warning to Milan came when a Bologna corner was missed by all and Tatarusanu looked indecisive.
A goal came soon after. Leao beat Lukasz Skorupski from a narrow angle with an emphatic hard high shot, the goal came from an Ibra assist and a good Ballo-Toure interception before it. The ball took a deflection going in but the play was a good quick one. Bologna got into further trouble after Adama Soumaoro took down Krunic bursting straight onto the hosts’ goal. The ref gave a last man foul and red card to the Frenchman and VAR confirmed it.
Milan doubled their lead. A Ballo-Toure cross found its way to the edge of the box where and on rushing Calabria with plenty of room shot hard to make it 2-0. Calabria had another chance before half time but shot high.
The half time 2 goal lead was a very good one and in contrast to the first halves midweek at Porto and a week earlier versus Verona.
Two half time changes were made one for an injured Castillejo and another seemingly not. Saelemaekers and Bakayoko came into the game. Bologna scored very early in the second half. A Bologna corner was diverted into goal by Ibra, it looked as if he tried to get out of the way but headed the ball in. What looked like a loss of concentration Bologna managed to tie the game shortly after. A nice pass by Roberto Soriano found Musa Barrow who beat the central defender well and beat Tatarusanu somewhat easily.
More drama arrived when the referee used the pitch side monitor to confirm Soriano’s stamp on Ballo-Toure’s leg. The Bologna winger wasn’t far from breaking the Milan player’s ankle and was given a red. Giroud came on for Krunic to try to regain the lead. The team struggled considering the 2 man advantage. Giroud heading well in the 82nd minute was the next good Milan chance. Bennacer finally gave Milan the lead. Once again a Milan player found lots of room just outside the Bologna box and this time with a low shot into the far corner made it 3-2. Just before added time Ibra made it 4-2 with a curler. Bennacer had taken advantage of the room available to easily find the Swede.
Harder than it should have been – with Milan 2 man up – but three points and another win is a good end to a disappointing week.