Just in time for Easter, it seems Milan finally got all of
their ducks in a row… at least for this match. In addition to recovering a
number of players from injury, Muntari relieved himself from duty. Well, and
Inzaghi put Jesus on the pitch to help create miracles and maybe resurrect our
performance. And while it was nowhere near a perfect performance, it was a
marked improvement in many ways. It would have been nice to see this level of
performance earlier in the season rather than later, but at least we finally
got our ducks in a row.
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| Let's get this party started |
The first half was shaky, Diego Lopez was called upon to
make his own miracles more often than I’d care to admit. But in the 37th, van
Ginkel sent in a nice cross that Cerci managed to shoot, hit Sorrentino, and
then use some unknown body part to tap it back in and score his first goal for
Milan. 1-0 Milan.
For the first time in recent memory, that goal encouraged
the team to fight. Instead of becoming complacent, playing back and perhaps
conceding, it built the momentum that it was supposed to. Which was good,
because despite
having heads made of marshmallows, Palermo were overall by far the
superior team in the first half. Well that, and the ref correctly called
offside on Dybala in the 41st, negating what would have been Barreto’s
equalizer.
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| It wasn't pretty, but I'm not complaining |
I don’t know what Inzaghi said to them at the half, but the
team that came out of the dressing room after the half were not the same as the
ones who took the pitch in the first. There were no physical substitutions, but
mentally, 11 new players took the pitch with a mentality that has been missing for
some time now. Eleven warriors.
It wasn’t a cakewalk, as all good football matches go, it
was a battle. But it was good football. Finally. In the 56th, Destro’s goal was called
off for offside, which was a questionable call, as it was very close. But
between some woeful shots by Palermo and a few yellows for each side, including
yellow cards for Abate in the 62nd, Paletta in the 71st, and Mexes in stoppage
time, the team didn’t stop fighting.
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| When you score that many goals, you only have to lift one finger |
There was a penalty called in the 71st on Paletta that some
questioned, but I think Doveri got it right. There was contact in the box from
Paletta. But it doesn’t matter what any of us think, as Doveri whistled for the
penalty and Dybala stepped up and converted it just one minute later. 1-1 all.
But for once, Milan did not collapse. They stood taller,
fought harder, and played better. If you are religious, you may believe that
Inzaghi introducing Jesus (Suso) for Cerci in the 77th, the day before Easter, was
the cause of the miracle. But Inzaghi subbed on Pazzini for Destro, too, and
Pazzini instantly made sure Sorrentino got a lot of closeups. But it was Menez
who decided the match, probably because he could finally see without all of
Cerci’s hair flying everywhere. In the 83rd, he dribbled and scored a brilliant
goal that would decide the match, 2-1 Milan. No miracles there, only hard work
and grinta.
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| It was only one game, but his patience and determination paid off today |
The players celebrating and Menez going over to Inzaghi was
the happiest I think I’ve been all season long. I literally teared up. Finally,
something to celebrate. Some actual football to celebrate, and a result to go
with. And after a tense 10 minutes before the whistle that felt like hours, Milan held the lead,
even continuing to attack to the end. Call it an Easter
miracle, proof that we were all right in that we are better off without
Muntari, or that Milan finally got all of our ducks in a row. But it is three
very valuable points. Won away, at a tough stadium, and our second straight win
in a row. Bravo, Ragazzi. Bravo.
This post inspired by miracles
Our next match is
Milan vs. Sampdoria
Sunday, April 12 • 20:45 CEST (2:45pm EDT)
Buona
Pasqua!