Out of sorts AC Milan fall foul of Arsenal

Date: 8th March 2018 at 8:58pm
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AC Milan’s 13-match unbeaten streak was ended by Arsenal, who emerged 2-0 victors in their Europa League Round of 16 first leg match on Thursday evening.

A packed Stadio San Siro saw Milan unlike their now usual selves, with misplaced passes aplenty allowing first Henrikh Mkhitaryan, then Aaron Ramsey to hit the back of the net for the Gunners.

Gennaro Gattuso’s men suffered their first defeat of 2018 and only registered one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes, despite 16 attempts on goal.

With the second leg in a week’s time at the Emirates Stadium, Milan have an uphill struggle if they are to continue their Europa League adventure.

Milan took the game to Arsenal from the off and almost had an early lead thanks to Giacomo Bonaventura, who was inches away from poking in a cross at the back post.

Moments later Patrick Cutrone got free of the Arsenal defence, but could only fire into the side netting.

Then, completely, against the run of play Arsenal took the lead as Mkhitaryan latched onto a ball over the top from Mesut Ozil, turned Davide Calabria in the box, and fired in thanks to a deflection off Leonardo Bonucci.

David Ospina was called into action after he punched a cross straight to Bonaventura, who volleyed wide.

At the other end Donnarumma was forced into two good saves, the second came as Welbeck ran in on goal, only to fire straight at the Milan goalkeeper.

Not without chances of their own, Bonucci challenged Ospina from a corner and almost headed in, but it looked as if the presence of the Arsenal man was enough to unsettle the Milan defender.

Just as Milan looked to have settled Suso hit a freekick on the edge of the penalty area into the Arsenal wall, which led to a swift counter attack and Mkhitaryan hitting the top of the crossbar.

The game then went from bad to worse for Milan as Ramsey beat the offside trap, thanks to a brilliant ball from Ozil, and rounded Donnarumma before slotting into the empty net.

After the break, a mistake at the back allowed Welbeck to get in behind the Milan defence, but an alert Donnarumma punched into the Arsenal frontman and out for a goal kick.

Milan though kept plugging away and Bonaventura first tested Ospina with a rasping effort, before smashing another high and wide.

As the second half wore on, Milan had Arsenal camped in their own half, but poor attempts from distance, poor crossing and indecision in the penalty area, they rarely tested Ospina.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was back in action as he nicked in front of Nikola Kalinic who was in on goal to deny the Croat.

 

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