Milan continue to build momentum after a stuttering start under Paulo Fonseca as the free-flowing Rossoneri humbled Lecce 3-0 on Friday. A one-sided affair at Stadio San Siro saw the home team score all three goals before the break to post a third consecutive league victory.
Tonight’s clash was nearly a spitting image of a 4-0 demolition of newcomers Venezia a fortnight ago when Milan scored all four goals before halftime. This time, Fonseca’s charges had to wait until the 39th minute to break the deadlock before tearing Lecce apart in a blitz.
Alvaro Morata returned to the scoresheet for the first time since the opening-day draw against Torino to open the scoring with a brilliant header. Only two minutes after the Spaniard’s strike, Theo Hernandez made it 2-0 with a thumping finish from an awkward angle.
One way or another, Christian Pulisic had to get his name on the board. The USMNT forward latched onto a loose ball inside Lecce’s six-yard box to add to his ever-growing tally this season. Milan kept a clean sheet for only the second time this season despite Davide Bartesaghi’s expulsion late in the second half.
Let’s look at our player ratings.
Milan (4-2-3-1)
Mike Maignan – 6.5
At long last, his defenders did most of the heavy lifting, allowing the French goalkeeper only a handful of comfortable saves.
Emerson Royal – 6
Despite several decent defensive tackles, there’s ample room for improvement. The Brazilian right-back seemingly lacks confidence and composure.
Matteo Gabbia – 7
Another masterful performance from the Milan homegrown ace! In addition to his well-documented aerial dominance, he timed most of his tackles to perfection.
Fikayo Tomori – 7
Like his colleague, the Englishman enjoyed a superb game, controlling Lecce’s forwards with relative comfort while keeping his passes clean and precise.
Theo Hernandez – 8
There’s not much you can expect from a left-back! After setting up Morata for the opening goal, the French star chipped in with a sublime finish to cap off a dazzling performance.
Youssouf Fofana – 6
It seems like he’s still adapting to Serie A. Though he didn’t make many mistakes tonight, he wasn’t eventful either, with most of his passes going backward or to his closest teammate.
Tijjani Reijnders – 6
Now that he has more freedom to move into the channels, the ex-AZ Alkmaar midfielder looks far more involved in Milan’s build-up than last season. However, he wasn’t at his best tonight.
Alvaro Morata – 7.5
Not many strikers can score a header he fired in tonight. The goal was a fitting reward for the Spanish center-forward’s impressive display.
Rafael Leao – 6
The captain’s armband added more pressure on the Milan talisman, whose desperate attempt to find the net often clouded his judgment. He cannot be happy with himself.
Christian Pulisic – 7
Being in the right place at the right time has become a running theme for the rip-roaring winger as maintained his free-scoring form with another simple finish.
Tammy Abraham – 6.5
The goal was the only missing component. The Roma loanee delivered another energetic showing but couldn’t score as the post and Wladimiro Falcone denied him twice in quick succession.
Substitutes
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 6.5
Samuel Chukwueze – 6
Yunus Musah – 5.5
Davide Bartesaghi – 1
Luka Jovic – 5
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |