I can’t remember a lunchtime game that I actually enjoyed.
At 3:30am my time, I am usually just bleary eyed and frustrated by a lackluster
performance and often a poor result. But not on this day. From kickoff, it was
exciting and action-packed, and at the final whistle, it was a lunchtime
delight.
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| Yup, that's what I felt like, too |
Not even one minute had passed and Cutrone had a shot on
goal, even if it was an easy save. And then Parma answered. And, at times at a
frenetic pace, the two teams kept going back and forth. Milan was the better of
the two teams in the first half, though, and would end up with 62% possession
and more than double the shots Parma took.
The second half was where the game was decided, though. The
pace may have slowed a bit, but maybe that’s what was needed to break the
deadlock. And in the 49th, that’s just what Parma did. A goal from Inglese made
it 1-0 Parma. But Gattuso wasn’t going to sit back and take it today, so he
went straight for the Borini in the 53rd. Fully equipped and mad as hell, Cutrone
leveled the score just two minutes later, 1-1 all.
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| It's like a totem pole full of win |
As if to taunt Muntari, who was in the stands, the VAR
review took an extra-long time, but in the end, Cutrone’s goal stood. Things
kept brewing until finally, in the 68th, Bastoni was called for a handball in
the area. After another “Muntari, are you watching this”-length VAR review, the
call stood and Milan were given a penalty. About three minutes and a Borini
yellow card later, Kessie stepped up to the spot and nailed his penalty. 2-1
Milan.
Gattuso subbed only twice, but both subs rewarded him by
earning themselves yellow cards. Castilejo’s yellow came in the dying seconds
of the super VAR stoppage time, too, it was so impressive. But it didn’t
matter. The team had played cohesively and relatively well for 90 minutes. Yes,
they conceded a goal, but they hung tough and came back. They got the winner
and didn’t collapse. And maybe it was just because I was delirious from lack of
sleep, but for me, it was a very solid performance.
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| Cutrone prematch with his number one fan, whom he also dedicated his goal and the win to |
There was some controversy about comments Gattuso had made,
but he clarified that we had a very narrow recovery window between the Europa
League match and our league match. And indeed, the lunch match was early for
everyone. But without making excuses, they buckled down and got the job done in
a match that was actually enjoyable to watch. And with the three points, and
Lazio’s draw shortly thereafter, Milan go into this week in fourth place again.
I don’t know how you like to take your lunch, but for me, that was a lunchtime
delight.
This post inspired by the music of
Cigarettes After Sex
Our next match is
Serie A Week 15
Milan vs. Torino
Sunday, December 9
• 20:30 CET (3:30pm EST)