On 7 October one of the matches of the 8th round of the Italian football championship took place. Genoa and Milan (Italy) met.
Italian Championship, 8th round
Genoa (Genoa ) - Milan (Italy) - 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: Pulisic (87)
Warnings: Hernandez (21), Florenzi (22), Yunus Musah (47), Adli (62), Coni De Winter (69), J. Martinez (86), J. Martinez (90+13).
In an exciting Serie A match between Genoa and AC Milan, the spectators at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris were in for a tense battle. In the first half, both teams showed resilience in defence, successfully containing each other. The 0-0 score at half-time signalled a tense battle on the pitch. However, it was evident that both teams wanted to break the deadlock and achieve victory in this crucial match. Milan made two substitutions at the start of the second half in an attempt to re-energise the attack. Samuel Chukwueze replaced Christian Pulisic and Nathaniel Okafor came on in place of Raphael Leao. These changes brought a new energy to Milan's attack and it seemed like it was only a matter of time. However, the game continued to be an intense battle in the centre of the pitch, with both teams putting their best foot forward to take the lead. Players were receiving yellow cards as they fought for every centimetre of the pitch. Milan received five yellow cards throughout the match as Theo Hernandez, Alessandro Florenzi, Yunus Musa, Yasin Adli and goalkeeper Mike Mainian were all cautioned by the referee. Genoa were not left out either, with Kevin De Winter and Jon Andres Martinez receiving yellow cards.
In the 66th minute, Milan made a double substitution: Olivier Giroud came on in place of Yacine Adli and Davide Calabria replaced Alessandro Florenzi. These changes further strengthened Milan's attacking potential, and it seemed that the Genoa defence was beginning to buckle under the onslaught. However, it wasn't until the 87th minute that the turning point came. Christian Pulisic, who had been a constant threat throughout the match, finally hit the net with a goal. The goal left the Milan fans ecstatic and the Genoa players dejected. In the final minutes of the match, both teams made another substitution in an attempt to change the game. Stefano Sabelli and Ruslan Malinovskyi replaced Andrea Coutlu and Bryan Cristante. For Milan, instead of Rodney Haps and Daniel Bartezaghi, they got Rikhedli Bazoer and Luka Jovic. Unfortunately, the match ended on an unpleasant note: Ihon Andres Martinez and Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan received red cards in the 90th minute. Despite the chaotic ending, Milan held a 1-0 lead until the final whistle and came away with a hard-fought victory. The match was a testament to the competitive nature of Serie A, with both teams showing great skill, determination and resilience. AC Milan took the three points, but Genoa can be proud of their valour. With matches like this, Serie A continues to be one of the most exciting and fierce leagues in the world.
The following matches await the opponents in the next round: Atalanta - Genoa, Milan - Juventus.
| Genoa | Milan | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kicks to the goal | 3 |
| 6 | Kicks | 12 |
| 3 | Blocked shots | 5 |
| 3 | Penalty kicks | 5 |
| 3 | Penalty kicks | 7 |
| 10 | Offences | 13 |
| 3 | Corners | 2 |
| 0 | Offsides | 3 |
| 41% | Ball possession | 59% |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 5 |
| 1 | Red cards | 1 |
| 2 | Keeper saves | 1 |
| 378 | Total assists | 547 |
| 307 | Accurate assists | 475 |
| 81% | Accuracy of passes | 87% |