Milan miss pair of penalties in draw with Bologna
AC Milan missed two penalties and Bologna converted one to snatch a 2-2 draw at San Siro in a match that was briefly halted for an anti-racism message.
The match was stopped for a few seconds in the 16th minute in support of goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who was the victim of racist abuse in last weekend’s victory at Udinese. Maignan wears the No. 16 jersey.
Supporters at San Siro were instructed to “transform the stadium into a sea of light with the torches on their smartphone” and it appeared as if all the 71,000 fans did so, while a quote from civil rights icon Martin Luther King was broadcast on the big screens. It read: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.”
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With Milan poised for a home win after a Ruben Loftus-Cheek double, their young defender Filippo Terracciano pulled Victor Kristiansen‘s shirt as the Bologna player ran towards the back post to meet a cross in stoppage time and conceded a penalty.
Riccardo Orsolini converted from the spot to secure a draw for the visitors after Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernández had both missed their penalties for the home side.
Milan are third with 46 points after 22 games, seven adrift of leaders Juventus, who were held to a 1-1 home draw by Empoli, and five behind second-placed Inter Milan, who have two games in hand. Bologna are seventh with 33 points from 21 matches.
Inter visit fifth-placed Fiorentina on Sunday.
“We leave with regrets that we did not win the game,” Milan manager Stefano Pioli told Sky Sport Italia.
“It’s true that there were two missed penalties, we had lots of chances and allowed Bologna a few too, but we had still been able to take the lead anyway and were ready to take the result home.”
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Joshua Zirkzee broke the deadlock for Bologna in the 29th minute, firing between Maignan’s legs from a tight angle after an attack in which the visitors had several attempts blocked but not completely cleared by the flailing Milan defence.
The goal triggered a response from the hosts and moments later they got a penalty as Simon Kjaer was deemed to have been caught by Lewis Ferguson‘s foot attempting a diving header.
The debatable decision, visibly frustrating for Thiago Motta, led to the Bologna coach being sent off after what appeared to be a heated discussion with the referee.
Giroud’s spot kick was, however, saved by Lukasz Skorupski.
Just before the break Loftus-Cheek equalised by poking the ball home at the near post from Davide Calabria‘s cross.
Milan were awarded another penalty late in the second half when Rafael Leão was caught in the face by Sam Beukema‘s hand. Hernandez hit the post and although he bundled the rebound home it was disallowed as nobody else had touched the ball.
Loftus-Cheek then got his second of the night with a well-placed header inside the box seven minutes from time before 20-year-old Terracciano, making his Serie A debut for Milan, pulled down Kristiansen, leaving Orsolini to equalise from the spot.
Milan play Frosinone away on Saturday before Napoli visit the San Siro on Feb. 11.
Information from the Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.