A nine-minute comeback from AC Milan gave them a 3-1 win over Olympiacos in their Europa League Group F match at the Stadio San Siro.
Miguel Ángel Guerrero got the opener for the visitors on 14 minutes, but two second half goals from Patrick Cutrone and another from Gonzalo Higuain grabbed all three points for Milan.
A paltry 22,000 were present at the San Siro as Milan made it two wins from two to top their Europa League group, in the first meeting in UEFA competition between the clubs 59 years, but it was the substitutions from the Rossoneri which changed the course of the match.
Milan should have been one up inside six minutes after a flicked header from Giacomo Bonaventura, which was about to nestle into the far corner, was tapped in by Samuel Castellejo who was in an offside position.
That costly error was jumped upon by Olympiacos who took after a Leonardo Kourtis cross was met by Guerrero who leapt above Cristian Zapata and headed past Pepe Reina.
From there, Milan did have the better of the chances, with Gonzalo Higuain being put in on goal, but his effort was saved by Jose Sa. Before a Castellejo cross went through the legs of Higuain and flashed across goal.
After the break, Higuain his a deflected effort just wide, then Suso made some space on the edge of the area, but his strike deflected off the defence and into the arms of Sa.
Ten minuted into the second half, Gennaro Gattuso, brought Hakan Calhanoglu and Patrick Cutrone into the fray, changing the Rossoneri to a 4-4-2.
Suso almost found the Turk with a delightful inswinging cross, but the was unable to get the decisive touch which would have put the ball in the back of the net.
With 20 minutes to go the goal did come as deep cross from Ricardo Rodriguez landed perfectly on the head of Cutrone and flew into the top corner.
The comeback was complete just six minuted later as Higuain collected the ball in the box, turned Pepe Cisse and side-footed into the bottom left corner.
Just three minutes later, Cutrone got his his second of the game, latching onto a Calhanoglu cross and tapping into an empty net. Then in the final minute of the match, Calhanoglu hit the woodwork.
SUPER SUBS
As Milan struggled to break down Olympiacos, Gattuso decided on a double substitution early in the second half. and it changed the game. On came Calhanoglu and Cutrone with the former grabbing two assits, and the latter two goals. it also forced a formation change to a 4-4-2 which allowed for more bodies in the final third. The Milan coach should be commended for making a change that, in plenty of games so far this season, he has been reluctant to make.
CLINICAL CUTRONE
Cutrone has now scored 21 goals for Milan, in 52 appearances, with this being his first brace as a substitute. The youngster saved Milan again with his enthusiasm and running which unsettled the Olympiacos defence, who until his entry, had a relatively comfortable evening.
