Milan have hit their first slump of the season. Two draws in Serie A were followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Benfica on the opening matchday of the Europa League league phase. That makes it three games without a win, with Rúben Amorim’s side putting themselves 2-0 down in each of their last two matches.
A Two-Minute Comeback at the Olimpico
On 12 September in Rome, the visitors found themselves in the sort of position teams rarely recover from. Matteo Cancellieri opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Tijjani Noslin added a second in the 39th. Milan went into the break 2-0 down, and the question was no longer whether they could take any points, but whether they had any response at all.
Amorim’s verdict on the first half was swift and uncompromising. He made three changes at the interval, sending on Christian Pulisic, Diego Moreira and Yunus Musah. Around 20 minutes later, Moreira, who had replaced Pervis Estupiñán, did exactly what he had been brought on to do. A goal in the 65th minute. Another in the 67th. Two minutes, two goals, 2-2.
Making three substitutions at half-time is a move born of necessity, reserved for occasions when the first half has gone wrong in every respect. Only one of the three substitutes made the difference, but he did so twice, and in those two minutes Milan completely turned the match around.
That was how it finished. Lazio let the win slip away, while Milan left Rome with a point secured in the space of two minutes.
Seven Goals, All of Them Late
The comeback at the Olimpico fitted a pattern that those at the club could hardly have failed to notice by then. All seven of Milan’s goals in their opening four Serie A matches came in the final half-hour. Not a single early goal. Not a single match in which they took the lead and then calmly saw out the result.
The team certainly know how to finish strongly: the substitutions work, the bench injects more pace, and opponents appear to tire by around the 70th minute. The problem is that Milan are virtually giving away the opening stages of matches, and it is already showing in the table. Following draws with Juventus and Lazio, the club have eight points.
A team that only scores late changes the viewing habits of its supporters as well. Even when the scoreline is unfavourable, they do not switch off in the 70th minute. Instead, they keep watching on their laptops, with replays, statistics, chats and, for some, online slots open in neighbouring tabs. In that sense, late weekday evenings have long been divided between football and Spinchester Casino https://spinchesteruk.casino/, in this setting, waiting for a jackpot keeps the excitement running high throughout the match, while the slots are minimised the very second another attack begins on screen.
No Way Back Against Benfica
Milan began their Europa League league-phase campaign at home on 16 September. The opening followed almost exactly the same script. Dodi Lukebakio scored in the 16th minute before Jakub Kamiński made it 2-0 in the 53rd, shortly after the break.
For the second match in a row, Milan found themselves 2-0 down. The difference was that in Rome, Moreira produced two decisive minutes. At home, there was no such response, although Milan did create some good chances.
Heorhiy Sudakov hit the post in the 24th minute. After the break, Koni De Winter was unable to force the ball home from close range. Pulisic had two dangerous efforts, one in the 62nd minute and another in the 81st, but Anatoliy Trubin saved them both. Milan’s customary strong final half-hour arrived on schedule, but this time it brought no goals.
No points from their opening Europa League match. A third consecutive game without a win in September.
The run is not alarming yet. Milan still have eight league points, while their European campaign has only just begun. What is more concerning is the way the same pattern keeps repeating itself. Falling 2-0 behind in two consecutive matches against opponents of this standard is beginning to look systemic, and Milan cannot expect to mount a comeback every time. Their first European match made that immediately clear.
Milan’s next Europa League match is away to Salzburg on 15 October. Amorim will welcome the break. There is nothing wrong with the team's attacking output, seven goals in four league matches, but almost all of those goals have come after the hour mark, when the damage has already been done.
