AC Milan 0-0 Genoa: La Superba hold wasteful Rossoneri to goalless draw
A determined performance from the previously underestimated Genoa allowed them to leave the San Siro with a commendable point, as they managed to hold AC Milan to a goalless draw, leaving the Rossoneri eight points behind the top four.
Despite featuring a relatively young squad, Milan predictably took control early in the match, advancing with ease.
Emerson Royal was the first to test the waters with a shot directed towards the corner of Nicola Leali’s goal, only to be thwarted by the goalkeeper's intervention.
Milan maintained their offensive pressure, and Samuel Chukwueze had a prime opportunity to score in the 24th minute, but he lamented his misfortune when he shot just wide of the left post after receiving a pass from Alex Jimenez.
Amidst the continuous onslaught of red and black, Genoa struggled to create any scoring opportunities of their own.
However, they nearly capitalized on a mistake just before halftime when 17-year-old Mattia Liberali committed a careless foul on Fabio Miretti during a rare offensive push for Genoa.
Fortunately for Liberali, leniency from the referee and VAR spared him from a disastrous debut, allowing Milan to head into the locker room without conceding.
Alvaro Morata replaced Tammy Abraham, but the anticipated impact of fresh legs in the attack did not materialize, as Genoa continued to thwart their opponents.
While it was clear that they would not secure their first away victory over Milan since a closed-door match in 2020, Genoa's youthful lineup matched Milan physically and posed some challenges, particularly through the combination of Morten Thorsby and Andrea Pinamonti, who had scored four opening goals for Genoa prior to this match.
As the game neared its conclusion, Milan's frustration became increasingly evident, with audible groans following a near miss from Morata.
Tijjani Reijnders made a swift advance through the center, bringing the Spaniard into a promising position near the goal; however, he could only manage to send the ball high and wide, lacking precision.
A few minutes later, further disappointment ensued when another well-coordinated attack resulted in Morata striking the crossbar from a close distance, with the goal open after a well-placed pass sliced through the Genoa defense.
In reality, the likelihood of Genoa achieving three consecutive Serie A away victories for the first time since November 2014 appeared slim. Nevertheless, this outcome will likely be regarded as a positive development and a moral triumph, particularly against an opponent they have only managed to defeat once in their last 14 league encounters.
On a less favorable note, they find themselves only two points above 18th-placed Cagliari. For Milan, this result could prove detrimental to their aspirations of qualifying for the Champions League through league performance, despite the fact that they have now recorded just one loss in their last ten matches under Paulo Fonseca.
SportsLigue