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MILAN, June 28 (Reuters). AC Milan scored two goals in the last quarter of an hour and sank AS Roma 2-0 in a slow Serie A game on Sunday as both teams battled in the heat of San Siro.
The game started around 1715 local time with a temperature of around 32 degrees Celsius and although the pitch was almost entirely in the shade, the conditions clearly affected both teams.
After a totally unforgettable first half, Milan, who still missed striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a calf injury, came to life after the break when Hakan Calhanoglu and Lucas Paqueta Antonio Mirante parried.
The hosts broke through in the 76th minute when Franck Kessie’s shot was saved from close range by Mirante and the ball rebounded to Ante Rebic. His first shot hit the post, but the ball came straight back to him and he hit on the second try.
Calhanoglu converted a penalty in the 89th minute to give Milan their second consecutive win since Serie A restarted. They remained seventh and sixth behind the fifth Roma with 48 points.
“The kick-off time made this game a really difficult game,” said Milan coach Stefano Pioli. “We looked for a win against one of the top teams and deserved it. This victory gives us confidence for the future. We have to grit our teeth and try to finish the championship well. ”
Roma coach Paulo Fonseca pointed out that Milan played their previous game on Monday, while his team played on Wednesday when they beat Sampdoria 2-1 from behind.
“We gave them the match with our mistakes,” he said. “Teams don’t create many opportunities at the moment, but we present them to our opponents and that makes everything more difficult.” (Written by Brian Homewood, editor of Pritha Sarkar)
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