Milan, Sep 15: New AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca got his first Serie A win in style. It couldn’t have come at a better time for the Rossoneri.
A devastating opening half an hour set Milan on its way to a convincing 4-0 win over promoted Venezia on Saturday for its first victory of the season after two draws and a loss.
The result and the manner of the victory are a timely confidence boost ahead of a crucial week. Fonseca’s team hosts Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday followed by a Serie A derby match against defending champion Inter Milan.
Also, Bologna remained winless but came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against Como.Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez were benched for Milan’s last match but were back in the starting lineup and the pair combined to score the opener after just 90 seconds.Hernandez won the ball in midfield and played it to Leao who gave it back to him with a delicious backheeled flick on the half turn. That sent the France international down the left and he squeezed his shot past Jesse Joronen at the near post.
Milan doubled its lead in the 16th minute when Youssouf Fofana headed in a Christian Pulisic corner, and the United States international got on the scoresheet himself in the 25th by converting a penalty after Tammy Abraham was tripped by Joronen.The Rossoneri were awarded another penalty less than three minutes later after the video assistant referee spotted Venezia defender Joël Schingtienn trodding on Leao’s foot.
This time Abraham stepped up to net his first goal for Milan since joining from Roma last month.
It was the first time Milan scored four times in the first half hour of a Serie A match since 1958.Francesco Zampano thought he pulled one back for Venezia but it was ruled out and Venezia midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek and sent off.Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years.
Bologna, which hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, has just three points from its opening four matches. (AP)
