AC Milan beat Parma 5-4 in a pulsating game at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Serie A on Sunday evening.
Milan took the lead through a goal from Giacomo Bonaventura midway through the half but it was quickly cancelled out by an Antonio Cassano header only for Keisuke Honda to restore the Rossoneri lead on 37 minutes and a Jeremy Menez penalty just before half left the score at 3-1 to Milan at the break.
Parma defender Filipe reduced the lead on 50 minutes getting on the end of a Cristobal Jorquera cross. Shortly after Daniele Bonera was send-off for a second booking and on 68 minutes Nigel De Jong restored Milan’s two goal advantage with a superb solo effort. Not long after the game took another twist as Alessandro Lucarelli headed in from a corner to make it 4-3. Menez once again restored the two goal gap with a cheeky back heel after rounding Antonio Mirante in the Parma goal.
The action wasn’t finished there though as a howler by Milan keeper Diego Lopez on 89 minutes made it 5-4, as he let a back pass from Mattia De Sciglio skip by him and into the net. The away side held on to the lead and made it two wins out of two for new coach Filippo Inzaghi
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Parma
Antonio Mirante – 4 – Battered
Nightmare night for the Parma Stopper beaten five time, could have done better for a couple of the goals. A night to forget.
Stefan Ristovski – 4 – Ineffective
Poor defending for first Milan goal as he was turned inside out by Bonaventura. Offered nothing going forward.
Felipe – 5 – Unlucky
Not a great night for the Brazilian as he saw red on 77 minutes but was a bit unlucky as both yellow cards on 24 minutes and 77 where for non-existing fouls on Menez.
Alessandro Lucarelli – 5 – Suspect
Stranded for Honda’s header on 37 minutes and was caught out by Menez on 44 minutes as he gave away a penalty and received a booking. Did score from a corner on 72 minutes but will be disappointed with his performance.
Paolo De Ceglie – 4.5 – Distracted
Poor defending all round for the on-loan defender but did well to set up Jorquera to cross for the Cassano goal. Booked on 70 minutes.
Afriyie Acquah – 6 – Energetic
Made a few tough tackles and produced a few good runs, also received a booking on 84 minutes.
Francesco Lodi – 6 – Faded
Played a deep lying playmaker role, wasteful a couple of times.
Cristobal Jorquera – 7 – Effective
Crossed for cassano goal and set up second goal for Filipe. Was replaced on 72 minutes but will be happy with night’s work.
Abdelkader Ghezzal – 6 – Likeable
Made a few good runs but faded and was replaced on 65 minutes.
Antonio Cassano – 6.5 – Creator
Started off brightly and headed the Parma equiliser on 27 minutes. Caught out by De Jong in midfield for the Dutchmans goal.
Ishak Belfodil – 5 – Quiet
Didn’t create much and falied to track back for the Abate assist.
Substitutes
Raffaele Palladino – 4.5 – Fruitless
Came on in the 65th minute but didn’t produce much.
Massimo Coda – 4.5 – Quiet
72th minute substitute but showed noting of note.
Soufiane Bidaoui – 4.5 – Ineffective
Entered the field on 77 minutes but once again had a quiet time of it.
AC Milan
Diego Lopez – 4 – Embarrassing
Howler on 89 minutes as he let slip a back-pass drift by him into the net. Noting much he could do on for the other Parma goals.
Ignazio Abate – 7 – Flying
Got forward all night and set up Honda for Milan’s second goal and came close to scoring himself on 55 minutes as he made a brillant run and shot that was saved.
Alex – 5.5 – Sloppy
Caught out a couple of time and should have scored on 20 minutes from a Honda cross.
Daniele Bonera – 4 – Clumsy
Unluckly booked on 16 minutes for foul on Cassano, he was like a statue on 50 minutes for the Filipe goal. Booked again on 57 minutes after handball on a Jorquera shot which resulted in a red.
Mattia De Sciglio – 6 – Steady
Was reliable for most of the night apart from his hard hit back pass which resulted in an own goal for the defender.shot over.
Andrea Poli – 6 – Quiet
Made a few forward runs on a couple of occasions.
Nigel De Jong – 7.5 – Quality
Broke up Parma a few Parma attacks and scored a superb goal on 68 minutes running from inside his own half to slot past the Parma keeper. Booked on 59 minutes.
Sulley Muntari – 7 – Engine
Covered the whole of the pitch and can be proud of his performance and was very disciplined tactically.
Keisuke Honda – 7.5 – Decisive
Fine game for the Japan international, set up Bonaventura for Milan’s first goal and got himself on the score sheet on on 37 minutes with a header from a Abate cross. Replaced on 62 minutes by Adil Rami after Bonera send off.
Jeremy Menez – 8 – Exuberant
Lively all night, scored two goals, a penalty on 45 minutes and a cheeky back heel finish on 77 minutes. The Frenchman will be delighted with his man of the match performance.
Giacomo Bonaventura – 6.5 – Tricky
Missed an easy header on 23mins, but made up for it on 25 minutes a nice turn and left foot finish.
Substitutions
Adil Rami – 5 – 62nd minute substitution
Cristian Zapata – 5 – Replaced Alex on 62 minutes
N’Baye Niang – N/A – Replaced Menez on 85 minutes
