AC Milan comeback to win thriller
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Xinhua, October 24, 2011
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AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng celebrates after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Lecce and AC Milan, in Lecce, Italy on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. |
Kevin-Prince came off the bench to score a hat-trick as AC Milan dramatically came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 at Lecce on Sunday.
It took just four minutes for Lecce to take a shock lead. A fierce Carlos Grossmuller free kick from the outside left edge of the box was whipped into the six-yard box, where Guillermo Giacomazzi got in front of Mario Yepes for a glancing header.
Milan seemed shell-shocked, as moments later Yepes and Christian Abbiati fumbled with a backpass that almost let Daniele Corvia in.
Lecce were clearly more aggressive, much faster and always first to the ball. After a series of crosses were charged down, Christian Obodo stung Abbiati's palms at the near post with a rising strike.
From the corner Grossmuller lopped a pass back into the six-yard box for Corvia's spectacular volley over the bar, though he was offside anyway.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a great chance to equalise on 15 minutes when Robinho placed in the low cross from the left, but Mesbah performed a crucial block at the Swede's feet as he pulled the trigger.
Robinho's cross-shot was cleared practically off the line by Nenad Tomovic before it could reach a totally unmarked Antonio Cassano. At the other end, Cuadrado's screamer flew wide. There did not seem to be a deflection, but a corner was awarded.
From that corner, the referee pointed to the spot, as Abbiati fumbled the ball and bumped into Corvia as he went to recapture it. Replays are inconclusive, as Corvia appeared to be slipping over before there was any contact at all. Ex-Milan full-back Oddo stepped up and converted into the near top corner.
Antonio Nocerino's lob was fingertipped out from under the bar by an acrobatic Benassi.
However, Milan conceded a third following more chaotic defending. Mark Van Bommel gave away the ball in midfield and Luca Antonini redirected a Giacomazzi through ball, meaning Grossmuller was kept onside to slot calmly past Abbiati in a one-on-one.
Massimo Ambrosini's header was off target, but the Rossoneri were totally ineffective in attack and left huge gaps at the back.
Boateng and Aquilani replaced Robinho and Ambrosini at half-time and within 15 seconds the Ghanaian had thumped a half-volley from midfield that Benassi palmed out from under the bar.
Boateng's daisy-cutter of an angled drive was deflected just past the far post, then the corner was put back into the box by Aquilani for Boateng, who smacked a left-foot missile under the bar from eight yards. Milan were back in it with their substitute.
They looked like a completely different team and Boateng pulled another back six minutes later! He received on the edge of the box from Cassano and smashed a remarkable shot with the outside of his right foot that swerved into the near top corner, leaving Lecce stunned.
Boateng totally transformed the match and completed his hat-trick to make it 3-3! Cassano's free kick set up Ignazio Abate and the shot was deflected into the path of Boateng, who did not hesitate to spin round and thump the loose ball in at the near post. Benassi got a hand to it, but not enough to keep the ball out.
Ibra's shot was charged down in the box, as Lecce appeared just as shell-shocked as Milan were in the first half. Nocerino's screamer skimmed the crossbar with the aid of a deflection.
Aquilani's through ball found Cassano, who aimed a delicate angled pass towards Ibra at the back post, but at full stretch he just couldn't get a toe to it.
Milan overturned the game completely with eight minutes left on the clock. A set play was not dealt with and Cassano chipped his pass to the back post for Yepes' cushioned header.
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