CAGLIARI (ITALPRESS) – Cagliari and Milan resulted in a pyrotechnic 3-3 draw, marked by major defensive blunders on both sides. A brace by an inspired Leao and a brace by Abraham were not enough to give the three points to the Rossoneri, with the Sardinians responding blow by blow and finding in Zortea and Zappa (a brace and a splendid goal for the final equalizer) two sterni goleadors.
At the center of the attack, Fonseca chose 16-year-old Camarda ready to set new records. The start, however, is nightmarish. After a little more than a minute, Viola kicks a corner from the left, Luperto touches a header and the ball reaches Zortea, who coordinates perfectly and kicks into the corner with his right, piercing an unguarded Maignan. It is already 1-0 for the Sardinians. The guests are not up for it and on the quarter-hour mark they find the equalizer. Reijnders scampered with class bypassing the opponent’s defensive line and Leao mocked Sherri on the way out with a winning lob. The Reds took the lead again in 28′ with Piccoli, but the referee cancelled for offside. At 40′, the Fonseca men complete the comeback. Fofana verticalized from his own half, Leao slipped in between the two centerbacks thanks to a scorching acceleration, skipped past Sherri on his way out and deposited into the back of the net with his right foot. The Rossoneri defense blundered, however, and at 45′ it was Piccoli who graced his rivals when he sent wide a header two steps from the goal line. Moments later, Viola finds the equalizer but the match director cancels for offside after a lengthy Var review. The two sides go to halftime at 2-1. The defensive uncertainties of Hernandez and his teammates continue in the second half and at 8′ comes the 2-2. Fofana misses an intervention and effectively frees Zappa, who sprints towards the opponent’s box and pierces Maignan with his right flat. Fonseca inserts Loftus-Cheek and Abraham and, at 24′, his choices reward him. The English midfielder initiates a quick restart by spreading for Pulisic, who goes for the shot finding Sherri ready for the diving rebound, but on the rebound it is the former Roma striker, on the pitch in place of Camarda, who signs the 3-2 on an empty goal.
The worst seems to be over, but at 44′ comes the final 3-3. Luvumbo crosses from the left, Hernandez totally misses Zappa who beats Maignan with a great right-footed volley. The result would not change again. Milan thus remains in seventh place, climbing to 18. For Cagliari comes an important point that propels it to the fifth-last position with 10 points to its credit.
– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS)
Big plays and eurogoals, Cagliari-Milan 3-3
