Parma 2-1 AC Milan: Hosts pounce on Rossoneri struggles to claim shock win

Parma put on a fantastic show, taking down AC Milan 2-1 at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, marking their first win against the Rossoneri in the topflight in over ten years. This win comes after they claimed the Serie B title last season.

Before the match, coach Fabio Pecchia emphasized that staying in the league was their main goal this year, but their quick goal against Milan suggested they might be aiming higher.

Just minutes into the game, Parma caught their famous opponents off guard when Emanuele Valeri set up Dennis Man for a simple finish past Mike Maignan.

After that, Milan struggled to find their groove, as Parma's solid defense and quick counterattacks disrupted their usual style of play.

As the first half wound down, Milan started to find their footing, with Noah Okafor, Strahinja Pavlovic, and Christian Pulisic all getting chances to score.

Parma nearly extended their lead too, with Simon Sohm and Valentin Mihaila missing opportunities in stoppage time.

After the break, Tijjani Reijnders came out firing, hitting the crossbar with a powerful shot, while Zion Suzuki made a great save to deny Pulisic from outside the box.

Milan caught a break when Ange-Yoan Bonny's goal was disallowed for offside, and although Man had a brilliant chance, it went to waste. They finally equalized just after the hour mark when Pulisic tapped in a perfect assist from Rafael Leao.

Pecchia had brought on Matteo Cancellieri earlier, and it paid off when he scored a stunning goal into the bottom corner with just 13 minutes left, thanks to a precise pass from Pontus Almqvist.

In the end, Parma held on to secure a draw, keeping their unbeaten streak alive since returning to the top division after three years. They finished 1-1 against Fiorentina in their first match. Meanwhile, Fonseca’s revamped Milan squad will be disappointed to start the season without a win in their first two games for the first time since 2011/12.