AC Milan scrap through after nine-goal thriller
AC Milan clung on to beat Parma 5-4 away in Serie A on Sunday - despite an dreadful defensive display which included Mattia De Sciglio scoring an extraordinary own goal from near the half-way line late in the match.
Before the match, all eyes were on new boy Fernando Torres. However ankle injury meant that he missed his Milan debut.
His absence did not matter as Giacomo Bonaventura put them ahead in the 25th minute.
Antonio Cassano scored against his old club to level two minutes later but a Keisuke Honda header and Jeremy Menez penalty put Milan 3-1 ahead at halftime.
Cassano, unable to win it for Parma. Photo: AFP
Felipe pulled one back early in the second half and Milan had defender Daniele Bonera dismissed for a second bookable offence.
As Parma pressed for an equaliser, midfielder Nigel de Jong scored a fourth for Milan on the break.
Alessandro Lucarelli headed one back for Parma five minutes later but the hosts lost their one-man advantage when Felipe cancelled out the good that he did by getting sent off for a second yellow.
Menez seemed to have made the game safe with a clever back-heeled goal for Milan’s fifth but the drama was not over.
Menez about to backheel the ball. Photo: AFP
De Sciglio played the ball back to Lopez from near the halfway line but the ball caught the goalkeeper off guard and he appeared to sprain his thigh as he twisted to try to stop it.
He had to hobble through injury time because Milan had already made three substitutions.
Parma, though, failed to test him and Milan were able to hold on for the win.
In contrast, cross-town rivals, Inter Milan had a much more straightforward time as they routed hapless Sassuolo 7-0 for the second season in a row with Argentine striker Mauro Icardi grabbing a hat-trick and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo scoring twice.
Mateo Kovacic and Fredy Guarin were also on target.
Juventus, AS Roma and Milan are the only teams with six points from the opening two games.
Source: Reuters
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