Striker Tammy Abraham scores injury-time equaliser for Roma to blunt AC Milan title challenge
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Updated 08/01/2023 at 22:33 GMT
Pierre Kalulu scored on the half hour mark for AC Milan on Sunday night in Serie A as they played Jose Mourinho's Roma side. Tommaso Pobega then made it two on 77 minutes before Roger Ibanez gave Roma late hope with a goal for the away team, and then there was late drama for the visitors as an injury-time equaliser from Tammy Abraham saw the points shared.
Roger Ibanez, Davide Calabria, Milan-Roma, Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
Tammy Abraham was Roma's hero as the England striker scored a stoppage-time equaliser to complete a remarkable late comeback and claim a 2-2 draw away to AC Milan at San Siro.
Goals from Pierre Kalulu and Tommaso Pobega in either half had the champions cruising towards victory under lashing rain, but the game was turned on its head in an astonishing finale.
Roger Ibanez powered home a header to pull one back with three minutes remaining, before Abraham reacted quickest to a Ciprian Tatarusanu parry to fire home a 93rd-minute leveller.
The sensational late rally came unexpectedly, as the visitors, shorn of suspended coach Jose Mourinho had created little of note before that point.
It was a damaging blow to Milan’s title bid, leaving them third in the standings and seven points behind leaders Napoli, while Roma remain sixth, level with fifth-placed Lazio.
There was a moving moment before kick-off as a minute’s silence was held to remember former Italy internationals Gianluca Vialli and Enrico Castano, who both passed away last week.
Sandro Tonali glanced a Rafael Leao cross wide of the far post early on as Milan quickly took charge and bossed possession.
While the Rossoneri dictated play, they struggled to carve out any big chances until Brahim Diaz found space for a shot from the edge of the area that was palmed over by Rui Patricio, and Kalulu broke away from his marker to head home from the resulting corner in the 30th minute.
Rui Patricio was tested by Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud in the second half, and the game seemed over as a contest when Leao slipped a pass in for substitute Pobega to finish in the 77th minute.
However, Roma’s set piece prowess got them out of trouble as Ibanez leapt to nod in a Pellegrini corner and hand them a lifeline with three minutes to go.
The visitors threw on attackers in search of a leveller, and were rewarded when Nemanja Matic’s header from a free-kick was palmed into the path of Abraham, who netted his fourth league goal of the season.
TALKING POINT- Roma’s set piece prowess strikes again
For the first 86 minutes of this encounter, Roma’s attack was a huge disappointment. For all the talent on the pitch – the ‘fantastic four’ of Zaniolo, Dybala, Abraham and Pellegrini all started – they created little of note in open play.
But when the chances aren’t flowing, route one will do for Mourinho’s men. They have shown time and again how damaging they can be from set pieces thanks to the combination of Pellegrini’s excellent delivery and the towering aerial artillery at their disposal with the likes of Smalling, Ibanez, Mancini, Cristante and Matic.
There was nothing sophisticated about their method of launching this most unexpected of late rallies – but you can’t argue its effectiveness.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Sandro Tonali
Tonali did all he could to get his team the three points with an all-round performance. His corner for Kalulu’s opener marked the first time he’s had a goal involvement in back-to-back Serie A matches, having scored one and set up another in the 2-1 win against Salernitana last week.
A needless booking will mean he’s suspended for the next league match against Lecce, but that was the only mark against the 22-year-old in an otherwise impressive showing.
PLAYER RATINGS
AC MILAN (4-2-3-1): Tatarusanu 6; Calabria 7, Kalulu 7, Tomori 6, Theo Hernandez 7; Tonali 8, Bennacer 7; Saelemaekers 7, Brahim Diaz 7, Leao 7; Giroud 6.
Subs: Pobega 7, Vranckx 6, Gabbia N/A, De Ketelaere N/A
ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio 6; Mancini 6, Smalling 6, Ibanez 7; Celik 7, Cristante 6, Pellegrini 7, Zalewski 7; Dybala 6, Zaniolo 5; Abraham 7.
Subs: Matic 6, Tahirovic 6, El Shaarawy 6, Belotti N/A
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
30’ GOAL! MILAN TAKE THE LEAD! Milan go in front from a corner! It's swung in by Tonali and Kalulu gets free of his marker to stoop and head the ball down into the turf and past Patricio.
77’ GOAL! POBEGA DOUBLES MILAN'S LEAD! The super-sub might have made sure of the points here! Milan launch a counter-attack and the Roma defence falls apart as Leao cuts inside and plays a pass to the unmarked Pobega, whose shot takes a deflection on its way past Patricio.
87’ GOAL! IBANEZ PULLS ONE BACK! Well now! Roma score in much the same way that Milan did in the first half, as Ibanez leaps to power a header home from a corner. The visitors have three minutes of regulation time plus stoppage time to try and find what seemed an unlikely equaliser!
93’ GOOOAL! ABRAHAM EQUALISES AT THE DEATH! Incredible! Roma have a free-kick on the right wing and Matic heads it at goal. It's parried by Tatarusanu but Abraham reacts quickest to knock in the rebound and pinch the unlikeliest of draws for Roma!
KEY STATS
- Milan have failed to win a match in which they had a two goal margin after 85th minutes of play in Serie A for the first time since October 2009 against Napoli.
- Sandro Tonali has been directly involved in a goal in two Serie A matches in a row for the first time in the competition.
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