Empoli 0-2 AC Milan: Leao and Gimenez fire Rossoneri to win after two red cards | OneFootball

AC Milan left it until the second half to secure the three points against Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, but they did eventually emerge 2-0 victors on Saturday night.

All of the action came in an action-packed second 45 minutes, starting with Fikayo Tomori (two yellows) and Marianucci (a kick-out at Santiago Gimenez) receiving red cards in fairly quick succession.

Rafael Leao gave Milan the lead with a header at the far post after Christian Pulisic’s deep cross, then Pulisic teed up Gimenez for his first goal since arriving, a finish that showed why he is the €35m man.

The result means that Milan hop into seventh place while waiting for Bologna’s result, with Juventus five points ahead in fourth having played a game more. Fiorentina, in fifth, are four points ahead with the same games played.

Despite reports in the build-up to the game suggesting there would be multiple changes to the team that beat Roma in midweek, in the end Sergio Conceicao made only one with Joao Felix making his full debut in place of Christian Pulisic.

Milan started the game positively and had a half-shout for a penalty inside two minutes when Tijjani Reijnders found Tammy Abraham inside the area and Pezzella brought him down, though the referee Pairetto believed there to be no incriminating contact and the VAR team agreed with him.

VAR was again required to get involved a few minutes later when Cacace went in with a very heavy challenge on Kyle Walker which could have seriously hurt the English defender. A yellow card was given, and after a check it remained as that.

The first shot on target came from Yunus Musah who drifted in from the right and drilled a low effort that the ex-Milan man Vasquez saved easily. At the other end, Walker did well to block a Grassi shot.

Felix earned his first yellow card since arriving at the club in the 19th minute but he wanted a penalty when he cut between two defenders and went down inside the box. Replays showed Pairetto got his call right and the Portuguese had dived.

Milan continued to try and break through Empoli’s low block with quick passing and movement in and around the edge of the box, one such instance leading to a shot from Joao Felix around 20 yards out which he dragged just wide.

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Appeals continued to be directed Pairetto’s way, and Jimenez was adamant that he had been brought down while potentially through on goal chasing a ball from Musah, yet nothing was given despite the fact he was definitely having his shirt grabbed.

Colombo came mere inches away from hurting his parent club just after the half-hour mark when he found space to fire a shot inside the box that curled and hit the upright, somehow bouncing back across goal but safely.

The final attempt of the first half came via a free-kick right on the edge after Theo had been shoulder-charged while trying to pursue a through ball. The Frenchman took the shot on after Reijnders’ lay-off but bent it wide of the near post.

Conceicao clearly didn’t like what he’d seen in the first half as he made a triple change, with Santiago Gimenez, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic coming on with Fofana, Jimenez and Abraham coming off.

The attacking approach play was instantly more dangerous, and twice Milan found an opening down the left side of the box through Felix and Leao, though twice the cut-backs were cleared.

There was a hugely controversial incident in the 55th minute when Tomori received a second yellow card and was sent off for a foul on Colombo. The reason there was so much confusion and protest was because Colombo appeared offside and yet the flag never went up, with VAR then unable to intervene.

Image: AC Milan

Things got even nastier from there, with Empoli receiving a red card of their own to even the game at 10. Marianucci took a tumble as Gimenez backed into him and the defender lashed out on the floor by kicking the Mexican, leaving the referee no choice after a VAR review.

Milan took the ascendancy again after the red card, and in the 69th minute they took the lead through Rafael Leao. A patient attack was worked from one edge of the box to the other, then Pulisic stood up a perfect floating cross for Leao to arrive late and head home.

With just under 15 minutes left on the clock, Milan doubled their advantage and it was a dream moment for Santiago Gimenez off the bench. All the credit for the set-up must again go to Pulisic for his hold-up play on the break and his feed, with the Mexican settling the ball well just inside the box, cutting in on to his left foot and unleashing a powerful curling shot that had Vasquez well beaten.

Felix did miss an opportunity to further add to the lead as he attempted a dink similar to the one he scored against Roma with albeit from tighter range, but Vasquez was equal to it. That would be his last input, with Filippo Terracciano taking his place.

Konate had the best attempt for the hosts in the final stages with a snapshot from the edge of the area that wasn’t too far wide of the post with Maignan rooted.