Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu claimed AC Milan’s first three points of the season scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over promoted Brescia in yesterday’s Lombardy derby in the San Siro. The 25-year-old connected with a cross from Spanish winger Suso to head in after 12 minutes after Milan had lost their opener to Udinese last weekend.
New Milan coach Marco Giampaolo, who was named boss as part of a major backroom re-shuffle after last season which also saw former players Paolo Maldini and Zvonimir Boban given positions at the club, made three changes from the side that fell in Udine.
Poland forward Krzysztof Piatek, third in Serie A’s scorers chart last season with 22 goals, Lucas Paqueta and Fabio Borini all started on the bench for the side who have been banned from this season’s Europa League for financial fair play rules.
Former Milan forward Mario Balotelli is yet to make his debut for his hometown club Brescia as he serves a suspension for receiving a red card. Algeria midfielder Ismael Bennacer got his first start and good work by Suso ensured Milan an early advantage. Brescia had been boosted by a 1-0 win over Cagliari in their return to Serie A last week after eight seasons. But Italian Dimitri Bisoli missed a chance to equalise, sending a shot over the bar with Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denying Ricardo Rodriguez’s deflected shot before the break.
Piatek come on for the last half an hour in place of Andre Silva, with Paqueta replacing Calhanoglu five minutes later. The hosts came to life in the final ten minutes with Piatek missing a chance to get a second goal for Milan, then setting up Paqueta who also drew a blank.
Despite a less than convincing performance for new coach Giampaolo’s side, Milan avoided back-to-back defeats in their first two matches of the season in a decade. Juventus were taking on Napoli later last night in a clash between last season’s top two teams in Turin.
Italian Serie A result
AC Milan 1 (Calhanoglu 12) Brescia 0
Playing today: Lazio v Roma (1600 GMT), Atalanta v Torino, Cagliari v Inter Milan, Genoa v Fiorentina, Lecce v Verona, Sassuolo v Sampdoria, Udinese v Parma (all 1845)
Played Friday: Bologna 1 (Soriano 90+3) SPAL 0
Brescia’s Dimitri Bisoli (right) and AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu vie for the ball. (AFP
