Match Recap: Romagonoli’s late goal sees Milan get a good victory at home

AC Milan came out in a rather unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation to match up with Genoa’s formation, with Franck Kessie playing as a right midfielder dropping back to cover the right area in defense while Hakan Calhanoglu played up a left midfielder along with Diego Laxalt and Suso on the wings and Tiémoué Bakayoko in the middle of the formation for Milan.

Genoa featured Serie A’s inform striker, Krzysztof Piątek, and so Milan would have to be wary of him breaking through the shaky defense while Diego Laxalt, who had played on Genoa, made his first appearance against his old club.

Milan drew first blood, with an opening goal in the fourth minute coming from Suso. The Spanish winger bought himself a yard or so of space and cut in with his favored left foot to unleash a wicked shot that beat the Genoa keeper Andre Radu.

The Rossoneri seemed to take the foot off of the gas after the goal, with the team seeming to want and coast towards a victory, despite over 80 minutes were left in the match after Milan scored the opening goal.

Milan dodged a bullet in the 38th minute as a wayward back-pass was taken by Genoa’s Kristian Kouamé, only for his squared pass to be put out into touch by the Milan defense.

Piatek missed a chance after both Franck Kessie, who had been playing at right back, and Mateo Musacchio both went for the ball, only to see the ball bounce over the goal instead. A bit of a shout for a penalty, but nothing was given as it seemed that no actual foul was committed in the attempt to get the ball by both sides.

Higuain went close early in the second half, but his dipping shot was tipped over the bar by the Genoa keeper. While the effort from the Argentina international was good, the second half seemed to pick up where the first half had left off, with Milan looking ponderous in possession and without a sense of urgency.

Kouamé, who had looked dangerous earlier in the match, came through with a good play to draw the teams level in the 56th minute. After Bakayoko had made a mistake with a wayward pass, Kouamé pounced on it and put a shot on net that bounced off of Alessio Romagnoli’s foot and looped into the back of the net.

After the goal, Gattuso pulled Diego Laxalt and put on Ignazio Abate, reverting back to a 4-4-2 after playing something that resembled a 3-5-2.

Higuain also went close in the 64th minute, as his shot was once again well-saved by the Genoa keeper, and Radu again kept Kessie’s shot out in the 68th minute after Higuain wasn’t able to get control of a ball near the penalty spot as Milan chased a winning goal after Genoa had equalized.

Samu Castillejo came on in the 83rd minute for Hakan Calhanoglu as Milan continued to look for a way through.

And then in stoppage time, Romagnoli came through with a special goal.

After a misjudged punch from Radu, the Milan captain chipped the Genoa keeper with a brilliant shot from just outside the penalty box and curled right over everyone and into the back of the net, giving Milan yet another stoppage-time winner this season.

The victory sends Milan into fourth place with a match against Udinese coming up on the weekend while Genoa drop to 11th place, level on points with 10th place Torino, but behind the Turn-based club on goal difference.