Como 1-2 AC Milan: Rossoneri engineer another comeback for Conceicao’s first Serie A win | OneFootball

AC Milan got their first Serie A win under their new head coach Sergio Conceicao, but it required another second-half comeback against lowly Como.

The home side were in dreamland when the new signing Assane Diao fired past Mike Maignan with a low shot to cap a sweeping counter-attack, putting the home side 1-0 up.

However, just like they did against Juventus and Inter in the Supercoppa, Milan roared back and in quick succession. They equalised firstly when Theo Hernandez’s scuffed first-time effort looped into the back of the net.

Then, Rafael Leao collected a brilliant through ball from Tammy Abraham and lifted it over the goalkeeper give the Rossoneri the lead, and that is how it would stay.

It was a far from convincing performance yet again, but it is a result that puts a bit of pressure on the teams above, especially given Fiorentina’s loss on Monday night and the other midweek games to come.

Sergio Conceicao made two changes to the starting line-up from the team that drew with Cagliari on Saturday. The first alteration was in defence as Emerson Royal started over Davide Calabria, then in midfield Ismael Bennacer got the nod over Yunus Musah.

Just as they did on Saturday at San Siro, Milan started the game with plenty of pressure and pinned their hosts in. In the opening five minutes the best chance fell to the birthday boy Emerson on the far side of the box, with Kempf producing a great block to deny his shot.

Mike Maignan was called into action for the first time not long after that as Strefezza let fly with an attempt from distance that was sneaking in at the near post until the strong parry to safety.

A couple of minutes later Kempf glanced a free-kick wide of the far post and then Diao arrived to nod a cross wide of the same upright, though in the latter case he was flagged offside having gone too early.

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The chances continued to flow in the early exchanges and Youssouf Fofana should have perhaps done better with a shot from the edge of the box after being teed up by Rafael Leao. The goalkeeper Butez in the end had an easy save to make.

Como were very close to taking the lead but for an excellent last-ditch clearance from Theo Hernandez at the far post, after Fadera’s low cross from the left almost found Diao’s late arrival.

The first yellow card of the game was awarded on 20 minutes and it was quite a significant one as it went to Alvaro Morata for a late slide that ended up nowhere near the ball. That caution meant he reached the threshold, and will be banned for the Juventus game on Saturday.

The Rossoneri really should have gone a goal ahead after some brilliant work by Rafael Leao. His nice flick started a transition attack which ended with Tijjani Reijnders having a shot saved having been put through by the Portuguese winger, albeit from a wide angle.

Milan continued to play out of the press impressively at times, and sprung openings before the half-hour mark which led to Fofana dragging a shot wide and Reijnders being caught up and tackled when trying to get one-on-one.

For all that the Diavolo did well getting out of pressure, they also coughed the ball up a couple of times in their own half and one led to a chance on 35 minutes. The ball was given away deep in the Milan half and worked to Strefezza on the right side, who put his foot through a cross/shot that sailed wide.

There was a worrying moment for Milan right before the break as Pulisic pulled up feeling the back of his thigh and instantly requested a substitution, with Tammy Abraham coming on to replace him. That wasn’t the only change though as two more came at the interval: Alex Jimenez and Yunus Musah on, Morata and Bennacer off.

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Milan broke through Cagliari again six minutes into the second half, with Leao running into space and finding Jimenez, who beat the last defender and ultimately drew a save from Butez. The rebound dropped to Reijnders, whose acrobatic attempt flew over the bar.

Moments after Jimenez had again surged into the box and somehow been crowded out with the goal gaping, Como took the lead at the other end. A break went from the bottom left to the top right for the home side, with €12m January signing Diao cutting onto his left foot and firing a low shot past Maignan at the near post.

With 25 minutes on the clock a fourth change was made by Conceicao with Matteo Gabbia going on for Thiaw, who was on a yellow card from a previous foul.

Milan got themselves level in the game in the 71st minute, and it came in rather bizarre circumstances. A corner to the far post was knocked down by Gabbia, then Theo swung a leg at it and scuffed it, but did so at such an angle that it looped over the diving goalkeeper and into the top corner.

After the equaliser the final change came from Fonseca and it was an attacking one, with Francesco Camarda taking the place of Fofana.

Just five minutes later, the comeback was complete, continuing a theme under Conceicao. Abraham provided a brilliant through ball that nestled between the two Como centre-backs allowing Leao to race through and lift the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper with all the composure we have come to expect.

Cutrone was very close to coming back to haunt his former club and his boyhood team when a free-kick landed at the far post and he diverted a pass towards goal with a flick, but Maignan was equal to it.

That would be the final scare as Milan rode out the pressure of the final few minutes to hang on for an important three points. Tensions boiled over at the full-time whistle, with several players getting involved in an altercation, but no red cards were produced.