PRIMAVERA FIGHT BACK TO BEAT EMPOLI 3-2 | OneFootball

Heart, determination, happiness. AC Milan beat Empoli 3-2 on matchday 29 in the Primavera 1 to leapfrog into the playoff zone, temporarily in 5th place (with 46 points) ahead of Torino's trip to Fiorentina. At the end of a pulsating game, three precious points arrived for the Rossoneri, who first went ahead through Sala in the 21st minute before losing the lead and then going behind after the break. The reaction, however, was one of a great team: first, an immediate response from Sia brought things back on level terms before Liberali's winner for 3-2, who had just come on as a sub. The closing stages then saw a red card and a penalty miss by Bartesaghi.

After an emotional pre-match remembrance for Coach Borneo, Abate's side showcased their best side: always proactive, always probing and looking for a way through, with slick movements off the ball. It is a team that has fun and keeps us entertained, and one that goes into the final stages of this season in the best possible way, in what is sure to be an exciting race for the playoffs. The immediate future, however, concerns another unmissable event, the Final Four of the UEFA Youth League. In fact, the Rossoneri are back in action on Friday 19 in Nyon, Switzerland, where they will take on Porto for a place in the European final. The match will be live (kick-off at 18:00 CEST) on Milan TV and AC Milan Official App.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v EMPOLI

MATCH REPORT It was a quiet opening, with the both sides leaving little space for their respective opposition’s forward play. The first real opportunity came after 21 minutes, and it gave the Rossoneri the lead. And what a peach it was by Emanuele Sala: Nsiala’s cross in was volleyed home by the Rossoneri number 28 for his first league goal. Empoli responded and on 28 minutes Vallarelli forced Raveyre into a save low down from 25 yards out. Little else happened until the 39th minute, when a penalty was awarded to Empoli for a hold in the area by Malaspina. Bucancil stepped up and converted, but the referee cancelled the goal for encroachment and asked for it to be repeated. On the second attempt, the visitors' forward hit the crossbar. In the 43rd minute, however, the away side equalised through Tosto's shot across goal following the development of a corner. The Rossoneri's reaction was immediate and a minute before half-time Vertua got the better of Malaspina - a powerful low shot from the edge of the box- and then from Sala's rebound.

The second half saw Empoli go ahead after just two minutes: Corona's shot from the edge of the box was saved by Raveyre, but the first to arrive on the rebound was Bucancil. But once again, the Rossoneri's response was immediate and had already brought the game back to 2-2 in the 50th minute thanks to Sia: receiving the ball on the edge of the area, he dribbled through some tight space before beating Vertua. AC Milan's momentum grew and in the 67th minute we took the lead again through sub Liberali, who got on the end of Sia's assist in the six-yard box to score past Vertua. But we didn't hold back, and after 70 minutes the visiting goalkeeper and the post denied Sia's left-footed effort, who then called the goalkeeper again into action with a header in the 77th minute. In the 85th minute, Liberal dribbled through, put the ball in for Nsiala, who couldn't notch it home. In injury-time, the Rossoneri went down to ten men (Mancioppi sent off for protesting) and in the 96th minute Vertua saved Bartesaghi's penalty, won by Simmelhack. Empoli's late surge was unsuccessful and at the final whistle it ended 3-2 to AC Milan!

MATCH DETAILS

AC MILAN 3-2 EMPOLI

AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Raveyre; Magni, Simić, Nsiala, Bartesaghi; Sala, Malaspina; Scotti (90'+5 Parmiggiani), Sia (81' Mancioppi), Bonomi (65' Liberali); Camarda (81' Simmelhack). Subs: Bartoccioni; Bakoune, Nissen, Paloschi, Perera; Skoczylas. Coach: Abate.

EMPOLI (3-5-2): Vertua; Tosto (88' Pauliuc), Indragoli (82' Sodero), Dragoner; Bonessi, Bacci (82' Bacciardi), Matteazzi (46' Corona), Vallarelli, El Biache; Cesari, Bucancil (88' Ansah). Subs: Poggiolini; Gaj, Majdandžić, Stoyanov, Falcusan, Tempre. Coach: Birindelli.

Referee: Leone from Barletta. Goals: 21' Sala (M), 43' Tosto (E), 47' Bucancil (E), 50' Sia (M), 67' Liberali (M). Booked: 32' Matteazzi (E), 72' Bucancil (E), 90'-4 Corona (E). Sent-off: 90'+4 Mancioppi (M). Notes: 40' Bucancil (E) missed penalty; 90'+6 Vertua (E) saves Bartesaghi (M) penalty.

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