Milan, comeback succeeds by half: bitter draw in Lecce

Lecce – Milan 2-2 in crackling 6 p.m. advance

Called upon to respond to the very strong signal sent out by Napoli – and to return to victory after the mock draw against Roma – AC Milan failed to make an appointment with victory in Lecce, indeed seeing the witches throughout the first half.

The start of the match is literally nightmarish for Stefano Pioli’s lineup. In fact, in quick succession came the goal of the Rossoneri’s lead – thanks to a clumsy own goal by Theo Hernandez in the 3rd minute – a colossal chance devoured by Di Francesco in the 5th minute, and the Lecce double, with Baschirotto piercing Tatarusanu’s header at the second post in the 23rd minute. Milan seemed in shock, unable to react. Pobega and Giroud tried, but without much conviction, and so the first half slipped away with Lecce leading by two goals.

In the second half the music seems different: Pioli changes Saelemaekers with Junior Messias and a disastrous Hernandez with Dest. The meneghini’s conviction was different, and in the 58th minute Leao surprised Falcone at the first post at the end of an action that had brought Milan’s French center forward to the shot. Then, in the 70th minute, it was Calabria who gave the guests the equalizer with a header off a Giroud bank. The rest of the match was a Rossoneri monologue, with the best chance coming in the 78th minute: post by Junior Messias. However, the action was vitiated by an offside later whistled by referee Orsato. In the final Lecce came back dangerously from the sides of Tatarusanu, who risked cashing a second own goal on Tomori’s deflection on Gallo’s cross.

It ends 2-2, Napoli escapes to +9 and Stefano Pioli once again has to postpone the appointment with the three points. On the next day, the meneghini will travel to Rome for a challenging trip to Lazio.