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AC Milan took care of business at San Siro on Tuesday night as they cruised past Lecce, winning 3-0 to reach the last 16 of the Coppa Italia.
In truth, the game was heavily conditioned by the early red card that Jamil Siebert got for a last-man challenge. Santiago Gimenez got the opener not long after that happened, firing in a delicious Davide Bartesaghi cross.
Christopher Nkunku opened his account for Milan with an acrobatic finish not long into the second half, then Christian Pulisic made sure of the victory as he netted minutes after coming off the bench. The comfortable nature of the win aided the rotation, and now Lazio await in the last 16.
Massimiliano Allegri was not present in the dug-out as he served the second of a two-match touchline ban in the Coppa Italia. He still picked the team and made six changes from the Udinese win, giving a chance to the likes of Koni De Winter, Samuele Ricci, Davide Bartesaghi and Christopher Nkunku.
Milan had the first big chance of the game and it came two minutes in. A nice through ball from Alexis Saelemaekers found the run of Santiago Gimenez but the goalkeeper was quick off his line to scramble it clear, before Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s follow-up attempt was cleared off the line.
Milan continued to command the early stages and Gimenez got on the end of another chance with seven minutes on the clock, this time a low cross from Davide Bartesaghi that he met at the near post but flicked over.
The chances continued to be one-way, and Adrien Rabiot was guilty of becoming the latest to spurn one. This time Gimenez was provider, playing a nice through ball to the Frenchman, who hammered a shot straight at Fruchtl in the Lecce goal.
Moments later, the biggest opportunity yet went begging. A ball was hooked back across goal from the left byline and Nkunku had the simple task of volleying into an empty net from close range, yet he somehow hit the post.
In the 14th minute, Nkunku went down inside the box under a challenge from Siebert and there were strong appeals for a penalty. The referee waved them away, and after a quick check the decision was confirmed by the VAR.
Not long after that he was caught from behind trying to spin his man, drawing a dangerous free-kick and a yellow card. Rather surprisingly, this time the VAR chief did intervene and the referee upgraded it to a red card, adjudging Ndaba to have brought hm down as the last man.
Finally the deadlock was broken in the 20th minute, and it was the scorer that everyone was hoping for: Gimenez. Bartesaghi was the creator of the goal, striking a fantastic first-time cross on the volley which landed right at the feet of the Mexican. He just needed one to go in by any means, and he found the back of the next from a few yards out, much to everyone’s relief.
The feeling after the opening goal went in was that it was a case of trying to get the job done before half-time. Rabiot came inches away from taking a big step towards doing that, with another low cross drifting to the far post and being hammered off the crossbar before bouncing clear.
The penultimate attempt of the first half was from Loftus-Cheek, who unleashed a low shot across goal with his right foot that bobble just wide of the far left post. Replays showed the goalkeeper wasn’t really close to it, and it nearly crept inside the post. Moments later, Pavlovic almost dipped a free-kick under the bar, but Fruchtl saved wonderfully.
A change was made at the break and it came in the midfield, with the cautioned Samuele Ricci making way for Fofana.
Just moments into the second half it was very close to being 2-0 to the Rossoneri. The ball sat up nicely for Loftus-Cheek to strike one across goal again, this time hitting the base of the post.
It continued to be one-way traffic, and Nkunku should have at least hit the target after a lovely give-and-go with Fofana ended with his lashing a shot well over the ball.
Nkunku more than made up for it in the 51st minute though, as he got his first goal for AC Milan. A corner was taken short to Saelemaekers, who curled a teasing cross to the far stick where the Frenchman was waiting to scissor kick a volley into the back of the net.
It should have been a three-goal lead when three chances were wasted in quick succession. Fofana, Rabiot and Saelemaekers were the guilty parties, with all three being teed up nicely inside the box but firing straight at the keeper.
On the hour mark, more changes followed for Milan. Zachary Athekame came on for Saelemaekers at right wing-back, while Christian Pulisic replaced the goal scorer Nkunku.
It did not take long for Pulisic to make his mark, as he scored four minutes after coming off the bench. The American ghosted in at the far post to meet a cross from Fofana, providing a lovely first-time finish inside the post with what looked like a flick.
Midway through the second half, another substitution came as Gimenez went off. He was replaced by Cheveyro Balentien, who only joined a few weeks ago but already seems to be impressing Allegri.
Mike Maignan had a very quiet night given the circumstances, but he was called into action for the first time with about 20 minutes left, punching a free-kick from Berisha over the bar that had beaten the wall.
Not long after Pulisic rattled the post – the fourth time Milan had hit the woodwork during the game – the final change was made with David Odogu making his debut. Pavlovic was who made way.
The final couple of chances fell to Rabiot, who perhaps was not at his best on the night in terms of finishing. Firstly he headed over unmarked from a corner, and then he drilled a shot wide from a good position.
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