Spezia strike late as they stop AC Milan topping Serie A
Emmanuel Gyasi coolly finished a 96th minute counter-attack to give Spezia their first Serie A victory away to AC Milan, 2-1, on Monday night.
🇬🇭 Emmanuel Gyasi scores a 95th minute winner to give Spezia a 2-1 win over AC Milan in Serie A
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) January 17, 2022
Milan gave up a 1-0 lead as they missed a chance to overtake neighbours Inter at the top of Serie A.
Milan dominated much of the game but spurned a host of chances.
In the 44th minute, Rafael Leao escaped behind the Spezia defence but was flattened by goalie Ivan Provedel kicking wildly at the bouncing ball.
Theo Hernandez fired the penalty wide.
A minute later Leao escaped again and this time reached the ball first and lobbed Provedel to give Milan the lead.
Rafael Leão may be as important for Milan as Vini Jr is for Real Madrid at the moment.
4 games, 3 goals, 2 assists & 2 penalties won.
Pure difference-maker. pic.twitter.com/iPblP4JBqR
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) January 17, 2022
Spezia hit back when Kevin Agudelo, finding a huge hole in the home defence, tapped in a low Daniele Verde cross at the near post after 64 minutes.
As the game entered five minutes of added time, Junior Messias put the ball in the net for Milan, but the referee had already whistled for a foul rather than allow the home team the advantage.
Milan applied frenzied pressure and Provedel made three saves from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The first was from a close-range shot, the second from a curling free kick and the third, and best, to claw away a looping header dropping just under the bar.
🗣️ The post-match reactions of the Coach and Calabria
🗣️ Le dichiarazioni dopo #MilanSpezia del Mister e di @davidecalabria2 #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/HSE2Fd3OKd
— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 17, 2022
Spezia sprung one last counter-attack. Victor Kovalenko rolled the ball across the penalty area to Gyasi, who, with the game on the line, carefully controlled then coolly placed the ball inside the far post.
It was Spezia’s third straight away victory and lifted them to 14th in the table, six pints clear of the relegation places.
Milan host Juventus on Sunday.