Milan win nine-goal thriller at Parma without injured Torres

Jeremy Menez scored an unbelievable back-heel flick as Milan won a match that saw two red cards and an injured goalkeeper.

Antonio Cassano faced his former club, but Jonathan Biabiany was injured against the side he almost joined on transfer deadline day. Milan signed Bonaventura instead and he got his debut, but Fernando Torres was in the stands after spraining his ankle, joining Stephan El Shaarawy and Riccardo Montolivo.

The Ducali needed a boost after starting with a surprise defeat to newly-promoted Cesena. Gabriel Paletta was sidelined and Roberto Donadoni picked Algerian international duo Abdel Ghezzal and Ishak Belfodil.

Cassano’s assist found Belfodil at the near post, forcing Diego Lopez into a decisive save. A free kick was whipped into the middle and Alex scuffed his sliding finish, allowing Antonio Mirante to parry from Nigel de Jong with his feet. Moments later Bonaventura steered a header wide under pressure from Ristovski.

The goal was in the air and Bonaventura scored it on his debut, which was also his 100th Serie A appearance. He ran on to a Keisuke Honda assist, peeled away from defenders with his movement and scuffed the finish off balance to anticipate Mirante.

Their lead lasted less than 120 seconds, as at the end of a well-worked move with one-touch football, Cassano found himself with a free header on the chipped Cristobal Jorquera cross. FantAntonio found the net for the fourth time in his last three meetings with Milan.

The Rossoneri turned it around again with Honda’s header on an Ignazio Abate cross from the right. The Japanese international also scored in the opening round against Lazio.

Just before half-time Alessandro Lucarelli was booked for bundling over Menez in the box, though it was arguably a clear scoring opportunity and therefore worthy of a red. Menez got back up to convert confidently and give Milan a two-goal cushion.

It was a very open match and Parma got back into it when Dias Felipe was at full stretch to redirect a wayward Jorquera effort.

Abate went on a strong run forward, forcing Mirante into a one-handed save at the near stick, but Milan went down to 10 men. Bonera had already been booked when he stuck up a hand to block Jorquera’s shot on the very edge of the penalty area. Cassano’s free kick was deflected over off a Parma teammate.

More bad news for Inzaghi, as Alex went off injured, forcing a radical change of both centre-backs. However, just as Parma were pouring forward to get their equaliser, Nigel De Jong robbed Cassano in midfield and went on the counter to beat the on-rushing Mirante.

Paolo De Ceglie at full stretch just failed to get on the end of a cross, but Lucarelli rose above the crowd for a towering header on a corner to make it 4-3.

It was still wide open, as Menez went on the counter and his shot from a tight angle was fingertipped on to the woodwork by Mirante.

Parma went down to 10 men too, as Felipe received his second yellow card for a challenge on Menez, although replays suggest there was barely any contact.

Moments later Milan went 5-3 up with a truly amazing goal from Menez. He pounced on a defensive error, seemed to have been pushed wide, but intelligently back-heeled it in with the goal behind him.

The madness was still going all the way to the end at the Stadio Tardini. De Sciglio placed a backpass towards Diego Lopez, who appeared to pull a hamstring and couldn’t run after it, allowing the ball to roll into his net.

It left Milan with no substitutions, an injured goalkeeper and only a one-goal advantage. Parma were told to shoot on sight and it was a siege in stoppages.