Our second Serie A match of the day saw Max Allegri’s AC Milan host Catania at San Siro. The Rossoneri started the season well with a comfortable win over Lecce but last weekend’s defeat by Cesena threw harsh light over the Milan project.
The question on everybody’s lips, of course, was which of Milan’s formidable forwards would get the nod this evening; Ronaldinho, Pippo Inzaghi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic started up front. Kevin-Prince Boateng joined Luca Antonini and Andrea Pirlo in midfield.
A 1-1 draw at San Siro compounded Allegri’s early problems in Milan and at times his side looked badly rattled, particularly after going behind. Despite the star names and huge reputation, Milan at present have none of the glamour and swagger of Rossoneri sides gone by.
Inzaghi should have given his side the lead in the 14th minute. Boateng’s good work on the right wing led to a pinpoint pass in to the veteran striker but somehow he flashed the ball over from six yards with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The home side dominated much of the first half but the two most meaningful early chances fell Catania’s way. Ronaldinho looked energetic and in the mood to entertain, while Boateng seems to have settled in nicely to one of the world’s biggest clubs.
But it was Catania again who really tested their opponents’ goalkeeper for the first time when Christian Abbiati got down low to palm away Alessandro Potenza’s shot.
It was a telling premonition and in the 27th minute some desperate defending from Milan resulted in Ciro Capuano a full 35 yards from goal, and his incredible thumping volley gave Abbiati no chance of making a save. A minute later the visitors should have made it 2-0 on the break.
Their reaction to going behind tells us all we need to know about Milan’s less than exemplary start to the campaign. In the minutes after the goal Catania ran riot, creating chances on the counter-attack and should have been 3-0 up by the 35th minute. Cesena didn’t settle for one and Catania clearly didn’t want to either, but the necessity to put away a second grew as the break approached.
Sure enough, there was an equaliser just before half time after a spell of Milan pressure. Ronaldinho’s cracking little pass found Pippo Inzaghi onside - although he initially looked offside for all the world and wasn’t onside by his own design - and his finish was predictably cool.
Milan again took charge of proceedings throughout the 15 minutes at the start of the second half but did so without asking any searching questions of the Sicilians.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic found the net in the 65th minute but was a good yard or two offside when Ronaldinho’s probing cross found him in acres of space in front of goal. Still, Milan’s pressure was growing more intense by the minute before the game again settled down.
With time running out, Milan had all the possession but really struggled to test Mariano Andujar in the Catania goal. A late flurry saw Ibrahimovic just fail to prod the ball past the Catania goalkeeper and another disappointing weekend blots the copybook of a promising coach.