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- Mediocre Milan steals a late point in thriller at Salernitana
Mediocre Milan steals a late point in thriller at Salernitana
It took a 90th-minute equaliser from Luka Jovic for AC Milan to come away from bottom side Salernitana with a point after a thrilling 2-2 draw in their pre-Christmas Serie A clash.
Jovic swept home after Olivier Giroud had nodded down a hopeful punt into the box, beating Benoit Costil in the Salernitana goal after the Frenchman had denied the Rossoneri with a string of fine saves to presevre the hosts' lead.
It was Milan that went ahead initially, Fikayo Tomori putting an instinctive header into the back of the net after Salernitana had gifted the visitors a free-kick on 17 minutes. Tijjani Reijnders delivered the set-piece from the left touchline and the ball was put into the England defender's path by Rafael Leao, who had won the free-kick in the first place.
Salernitana upped the ante ahead of the break, forcing Mike Maignan into a couple of high-class saves, but just when it looked like Milan would hold its lead into the break, the hosts came up with an equaliser on 42 minutes. Antonio Candreva delivered a corner from the right, and Federico Fazio thundered it home with a stunning header.
Candreva was involved again as Salernitana went ahead just after the hour mark, his speculative effort swerving in at Maignan's near post with the France goalkeeper claiming to have been unsighted when it looked like he could have made a routine save.
Milan lost Tomori to what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the process of that goal, and could have conceded again had it not been for a magnificent save from Maignan after Candreva had rolled a free-kick into the path of Pasquale Mazzocchi, who blasted a fierce shot towards goal that Maignan somehow managed to tip over with his fingertips.
The score remained 2-1 as Milan soaked up more pressure, eventually turning things back on Salernitana with a string of late chances.
The best of those came for Jovic, who had a double chance right in front of goal but twice thwarted by an inspired Costil.
Jovic, though, would win the next duel, beating Costil from close range.
Davide Calabria forced another good save from Costil at his left post as Milan pushed for all three points, but ultimately it had to settle for just one, which appears neither enough to threaten the leaders nor likely to ease the pressure on boss Stefano Pioli.
