Samuel Chukwueze in action as AC Milan draw Serie A opener
AC Milan began their 2024/25 Serie A campaign with a 2-2 draw against Torino at the San Siro, despite having an impressive preseason.
The match marked the competitive debut of new manager Paulo Fonseca, who fielded a strong attacking lineup featuring Samuel Chukwueze, Rafael Leao, and Luka Jovic.
Samuel Chukwueze, who had shown great form during the preseason, was unable to make a significant impact in the match. Fans had high expectations for the forward, who had vowed to redeem himself after a disappointing previous season. However, his efforts fell short as AC Milan struggled to break down a resilient Torino side.
Milan started the game with dominance in possession but were caught off guard in the 30th minute. A well-executed play by Torino led to a cross from Duvan Zapata that ended with Malick Thiaw inadvertently putting the ball into his own net, giving Torino a 1-0 lead.
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Torino doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Valentino Lazaro’s cross found Zapata, who headed the ball into an empty net.
Despite being two goals down, AC Milan fought back in the closing stages. In the 89th minute, Tijjani Reijnders’ shot deflected off Alvaro Morata to pull one back for Milan. Six minutes later, a cross from Yunus Musah found Noah Okafor, who struck the ball past the goalkeeper to level the score at 2-2. Milan pressed hard for a winner, but the match ended in a draw.
Paulo Fonseca expressed mixed feelings after his first competitive game in charge. While pleased with the team’s resilience, he acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in defense. Torino manager Paolo Vanoli, on the other hand, praised his team’s performance and the tactical execution that almost secured an away victory.
