There was justifiably a lot of apprehension going into this match, both for what it would mean for Maignan and how the team would manage with so many injuries. And while Amorim managed the injury part, the rest of the team showed up and gave Milan a 2-0 victory over Udinese. Their third victory in a row in the Blue Energy stadium since their fans racially abused our goalkeeper. Sure, Udinese fans turned up with their usual display of trying to prove they're not racist by discriminating against the Black goalkeeper their fans had racially abused two years ago. But once again, that did not go well for them. Not only did they lose... again, but Maignan was not even fazed by their moronic behavior, and the FIGC Sporting Judge fined them for it. By now they should have learned their lesson: don't fear the keeper.
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| Maignan disappointed the racists by calmly doing his job, but it wasn't him they needed to fear. |
Right away, it became clear to the racists Udinese fans that Maignan was the least of their worries, because Milan opened the scoring with an incredible goal that was part telepathic, part football IQ of the highest level, and skill of the most exquisite level. Modrić took a free kick, sending the most perfect ball forward–perfectly timed, perfectly curled, perfectly weighted–for Pulisic, who made the perfect run–perfectly timed, perfectly placed, and not offside. Pulisic controlled it with his left foot, then slotted it past a helpless and shocked Okoye. 1-0 Milan. Goals like this are easily better than a dozen tap-ins, and regardless of the outcome of the match, would be a goal people would still be savoring afterward.
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| Devastating. |
Kamara had a shot saved, and the Udinese fans whistled Maignan. Imagine, going to the stadium supposedly to support your team, but rather than enjoy the match and cheer your own team, you sit poised, waiting, and then whistle every single time one player touches the ball. That's like work. And why? To show the world that those five people charged and banned for life from your stadium racially abusing this same player two years ago don't represent who you are. By basically doing the same thing they were doing, but "within the principles of fairness" (translation: in a way that dumb Italian authorities won't charge you with racism, even though that's exactly what you're doing.)
The joke was on them, though. Again. Mike had another clean sheet, and Milan the third win in a row of the three matches played since their racism reared its ugly head. And now their club will be out €3,000 for discriminatory chants against an opposition player. Something they can ill afford after six straight losses, because they may have to replace their manager soon. (No one ever accused racists of being intelligent.) Plus, obviously, Maignan was the least of their worries. The rest of the team came for Friulian blood.
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| A fantastic performance for Bartesaghi. |
Bartesaghi, who was phenomenal in this match, and even earned the fan vote for Milan's MVP, had his first shot wide in the 12th minute. Then, after having already been rugby tackled just ahead of the goal, Ramos was thrown to the ground in the 17th minute. Then four minutes later, Kabasele pulled him down on top of him, taking a knock to his own shoulder. Ramos was literally pummeled for all 89 minutes he was on the pitch. But the whole match was phyiscal. Diawara was fouled by keinan Davis. Then Piotrowski was fouled by Bartesaghi. Then Ramos knocked over by Kabasele again, then Abankwah seemed to block the ball, but also took Ramos down again. All in the first 25 minutes.
In the 27th minute, Vojvoda blocked a Tomori chance after a great cross from Pulisic, then Pulisic was tackled. And in the 30th, Ramos was taken down in the box, but yet again, no call. At the other end, Vojvoda took a shot, and Maignan failed to control it, but was able to recover it just in time. Then Tomori clashed heads with Ekellenkamp, but luckily was able to continue after a bit. In the 35th minute was one of the more egregious fouls on Ramos, when Palma elbowed him off the ball. It looked like VAR checked it, but not even a foul was given. Criminal.
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| Did someone put a hit out on Ramos or something? |
And three minutes later, Ramos was knocked down again. No call. But when Abankwah was pushing and pulling him, and eventually pulled Ramos down on top of him, it was Ramos who was given the yellow card in the 39th minute. Make it make sense, Mercenaro. And, despite his sweet backheel pass in the 40th, Pulisic lost a few points by being a little too goal hungry and running in and spoiling what should have been a Bartesaghi tap in in the 40th minute. That was awkward. But Pulisic would be named Serie A's Player of the Match, and it really seems like he is underused so far this season, he is always a gamechanger. Both Karlström and Kamara took shots that basically went straight to Maignan, then Bartesaghi's shot went over after Abankweh rushed in to deflect it over. That was the first half.
The second half started with a clearly still frustrated Ramos putting his shoulder into Kabasele, and he was lucky that Mercenaro did not whip out a second yellow for that. He was also upset a few minutes later, when Vojvoda, having been whistled for a handball, refused to hand over the ball. Again, luckily, he kept it together and stayed on the pitch. Pulisic took a very dangerous shot in the 60th minute that forced Okoye into a big save. And once again, Ramos was just shoved over by Kabasele, but obviously, no card, yet again.
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| Leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. |
Udinese were not going to get away with their dirty Sunday League tactics, not if Milan had any say in it. And in the 66th minute, Milan did. Jashari sent a very powerful shot in that Okoye parried, but was unable to control, and the rebound came out to the feet of Hutchinson, who was in the exact right spot to just tap it in past Okoye. 2-0 Milan. It was great to see him get his first Milan goal, although I would have also been thrilled for Jashari to have scored as well, that was a great shot. Loftus-Cheek replaced Hutchinson in the 73rd minute, as well as Musah coming on for Tomori. Hutchinson was sweet enough to give his shirt to a child in the stands, and also took time signing autographs after being subbed off, a lovely way to mark his first goal in the red and black.
Determined to deal with his bullies in the correct way, Ramos took an explosive rocket of a shot in the 74th minute that forced Okoye into yet another great save. The Udinese goalkeeper would make five saves on the night, the same amount as Mike, actually. Then each team made a shot off target. And in the 80th, Keinan Davis took a shot that Maignan tried to catch, but he spilled the ball. Then thankfully recovered it, just in the nick of time. I will be forever amazed at how Ramos kept his cool after being targeted and physically bullied for 90 minutes straight, and even receiving a yellow card for one of the players fouling him, but I might have to call him Saint Ramos (and the referee a few names that a Saint would never say.)
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| Two five minute cameos in one week? There is hope for our young players yet. |
Alphadjo Cisse replaced Bartesaghi in the 85th minute, and right away sent a shot across the face of goal that went just wide. In the 90th minute, Loftus-Cheek seemed to get injured when he was felled going in on goal. I'm not convinced that the "clearance" by the Udinese defender was not a foul, but once again, no card, no penalty. Modrić actually earned a yellow card for tripping Arizala. Then Amorim pulled Loftus-Cheek off (even though he was on the pitch for only about 15 minutes,) replacing him with Comotto, and Ramos was replaced by Camarda.
What a treat to have our U21 contingency of Alphadjo Cisse, Camarda, and Comotto all on the pitch at once, even though it was less than five minutes or so at the end of a win. A shame that none of the Futuro players who were called up even played at all, because they also sacrificed their 1-1 draw vs. Club Milano, dropping two points in their campaign for promotion this season. And none of them played a single minute on Sunday for either team, even though they are all usually pretty much starters for Navarro's Futuro side. Alfa Cisse basically had the last say in stoppage time, sending a shot straight to Okoye. It was also great to see the young Diawara get his first start and play a solid 90 minutes as well, we desperately need defenders right now.
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| While Udinese fans were whistling Mike (again,) these guys were destroying their team. |
The matches are almost blurring together as a fan, there are so many in such quick secession, but Udinese's unpunished violence on the pitch and inhumane discrimination off the pitch will make this one stand out. After a "bad day at the office" for Maignan in Bournemouth on Thursday, he had lost the favor of many Milan fans, and we knew he would be abused again in by the not-racist racists in Udine. But thanks to a determined team effort and a lineup pieced together by the non-injured players in our squad by Amorim, Maignan was only living rent-free in the heads of Udinese's Curva Nord on Sunday. And you would think they would learn their lesson by now: don't fear the keeper.
Pavonese vs. Milan Futuro
Wednesday, October 28 • 17:30 CET (12:30pm EDT)*
Wednesday, October 28 • 18:30 CET (1:30pm EDT)*
Reviewed by Elaine
on
Rating:
