Milan increasingly second: trio at home to Hellas Verona
Hellas Verona-Milan 1-3
Milan, second in the standings, routed the Bentegodi against an indomitable Hellas Verona, stretching its lead over Juventus in the standings. Three to one the final: Hernandez at the tail end of the first half, Pulisic in the opening half, Noslin shortened, Chukwueze set up the trio. The match was è played in front of 26 thousand spectators including almost 10 thousand Rossoneri fans. Standings: Milan 62 points, Hellas Verona 26 still in the salvation zone. Next round: Fiorentina-Milan (March 30, 8:45 p.m.), Cagliari-Verona (April 1, 3 p.m.).
Opening the dances the rossonera formation. Free kick from the left by Hernandez (2’), the ball crosses the entire Verona area, no one è ready for the winning touch. On the left lane, at the start, è a’highway for Milan that forces the Gialloblù to continuous fouls. On 10’ Hellas put their noses into the Rossoneri area to no avail. Making the match è Pioli’s formation that finds in front of ité a’sullen resistance.
Noslin, turn in the area, low shot at the second post in slow motion, Maignan c’è. Milan corner (19’), short rebound, Okafor beats volley just outside the area, Montipò miraculous in two times with the help of the crossbar. On the’other front Maignan comes out of the posts, trying to neutralize a low center by Lazovic: he succeeds but only in two times while no gialloblù è ready on the first deflection.
On 23’ Pulisic’s sensational crossbar. Milan always moreù close to the lead. Flame Noslin 3 minutes later: diagonal from the right, ball out not far. Verona è more courageous but when Leao (34’) starts, the Bentegodi falls silent. The Rossoneri phenomenon gets a corner, nothing done. And it continues with the ball of the game in Milan’s hands. Pulisic’s filter, Okafor’s turn under the goal, ball on the bottom (37’).
On 39’ two consecutive Hellas corners: on the second immediate Rossoneri rebound that launches Pulisic into the open field for a “coast to coast” until the pass for Okafor, ready to strike, ball over the crossbar (40’). 45’: Hernandez enters the area from the left wins two rebounds and finds the winning shot for Milan’s 1 to 0. Then the exultation that angers Baroni, who invites Hernandez to return to his own half of the field: admonished both.
Start of the resumption: inside Dani Silva in Verona, Gabbia in Milan. The Rossoneri double on 5’: Dawidowicz’s mistake on the three-quarter, Okafor steals the ball from him, finds the bottom, low center for Pulisic: 0 to 2. Baroni inserts Mitrovic, Swiderski and Magnani to try a desperate comeback. On 13’: great break by Noslin, on Centonze’s center, ball over the crossbar. Next, Maignan neutralizes a conclusion on the edge by Swiderski.
The gialloblù efforts materialized on 19’: Noslin’s impregnable broadside from the limit, ball in the net, Hellas Verona-Milan 1-2. The Bentegodi goes wild. Pioli inserts Giroud and Musah. The Veronesi now believe. Leao gets his conclusion bricked and Hellas restarts. On 25’ Leao has the ball for 3 to 1 but, on his own with Montipò, he clumsily kicks wide. In, in Milan, also Chukwueze; in Verona here is Vinagre.
Verona tries a shot from outside with Suslov, on two occasions it is rebounded by the Rossoneri rearguard. The mesh widens, Milan on the throw-in è always dangerous. The trio arrived on 35’ with the newly-entered Chukwueze: extraordinary his aerial strike to collect a deflection from a corner, ball on the second post, Verona-Milan 1-3. The thousands of Rossoneri fans unleash their enthusiasm. But Noslin almost reopens it in the 40’: slash from the left, ball aimed at the second post just out. Five minutes of recovery time. On the first Swiderski forces a difficult deflection off Maignan. Triple whistle: Verona-Milan 1-3.
