Milan wastes a golden chance to move, even if only temporarily, to the top of the table, throwing away a two-goal lead against Parma. It ends 2-2 at the Tardini.
Parma-Milan, first half
Massimiliano Allegri sticks with continuity, making only one change compared to the lineup against Roma: Estupiñán returns from injury on the left in place of Bartesaghi. Cuesta, on the other hand, deals with many absences. His 3-5-2 attack features a former Milan player (Cutrone) and a current Milan target (Pellegrino).
The first chance comes for Milan in the 8th minute. Leao picks up the ball on the right, beats Delprato, and crosses low, but Valenti slides in brilliantly to deny Nkunku, who was free in front of Suzuki. Four minutes later, the match opens up: Leao leads a counterattack, feeds Nkunku, who lays it off to Alexis Saelemaekers. The Belgian shifts to his left foot and fires a low shot that surprises Suzuki, who reacts late.
In the 21st minute, Milan gets a penalty. Saelemaekers enters the box, wins a rebound, and is brought down by Ndiaye. Referee Di Bello checks with VAR but confirms the call since the Parma defender never touches the ball. From the spot, Rafael Leao sends in a perfect penalty, making Suzuki’s dive useless.
Milan controls possession while still threatening forward. In the 33rd minute, Saelemaekers once again breaks free on the right and crosses, but Valenti clears before Nkunku. Five minutes later, Modric tries a left-foot shot from the edge of the box, but Suzuki saves. Parma’s first real effort comes in the 39th minute: Delprato meets a cross from the right with a header, but Maignan dives well to block.
Thirty seconds before the break, Milan threatens again. Parma’s defense fails to clear a Leao cross, the ball drops to De Winter who finds Nkunku, and his first-time shot is deflected wide by Suzuki. From a potential 3-0, the score turns 2-1: Britschgi steals the ball from Estupiñán and feeds Bernabé, who curls a left-foot strike into the top corner, leaving Maignan with no chance. After four minutes of added time, the half ends with Milan still leading, but with the gap narrowed.
Parma-Milan: what was the second half like?
Parma makes one change at halftime: Troilo replaces Ndiaye. In the 50th minute, a huge chance for Parma. Cutrone crosses for Pellegrino, who’s denied from close range by Estupiñán’s recovery tackle. Parma pushes again: from a long throw, Delprato turns and shoots from a tight angle, but Maignan saves with his foot.
After Bernabé misses the target, Allegri makes his first change around the hour mark, bringing on Loftus-Cheek for Nkunku. Milan looks lost, and after Pellegrino hits the post with a header from a Bernabé cross, Parma equalizes. Britschgi dribbles past Estupiñán and delivers a sharp cross to the near post for Delprato, who finishes past Maignan.
Milan tries to react. From a corner, Gabbia heads wide. With 20 minutes to go, Allegri sends on Pulisic for Ricci and Bartesaghi for Aubameyang. Pulisic immediately wastes a massive chance: Leao’s brilliant backheel sets him up one-on-one with Suzuki, but his finish rolls wide.
Between the 80th and 82nd minutes, Saelemaekers has two big chances. First, he attempts an awkward backheel after a Modric pass, then Pulisic puts him through again. He rounds Suzuki but shoots wide as Sorensen recovers.
With three minutes left, Allegri makes his final substitutions, bringing on Athekame for De Winter and shifting to a sort of 4-4-2, with Loftus-Cheek and Saelemaekers on the wings. At the 90th minute, Modric tries from the edge of the box, and Suzuki almost spills it.
During five minutes of stoppage time, Milan throws everyone forward, but Parma holds firm and earns a draw against Allegri’s side, as relayed via MilanPress.it.
