Federico Gatti scored a decisive stoppage-time header to secure a 1-1 draw for Juventus against AC Milan on Sunday in Serie A, splitting points in a tightly contested fixture at the San Siro.
Early Chances Slip Away for Juventus in First Half
Juventus dominated the opening forty-five minutes of the match, creating the better scoring opportunities while relying heavily on the attacking thrust of Francisco Conceicao. In the 25th minute, Conceicao slipped while attempting a shot from inside the penalty area, giving AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan a chance to intervene. Nicolas Gonzalez sent the resulting close-range rebound wide of the target. Maignan denied Conceicao again in the 37th minute, parrying the Portugal international’s outside-of-the-foot effort away at the near post. According to match reports, AC Milan reached halftime without registering a single shot on target, though Juventus failed to capitalize on their territorial advantage.
Alphadjo Cisse Breaks the Deadlock for AC Milan
The visitors kept pushing after the interval, and Conceicao came close once more in the 55th minute. Manuel Locatelli dispossessed Yunus Musah in midfield and released the winger, but his low shot struck the base of the far post. Despite Juventus controlling long stretches of play, AC Milan took the lead against the run of play in the 68th minute through substitute Alphadjo Cisse. Samuel Chukwueze, who had also entered the match from the bench, raced down the right flank before switching play to Cisse. The 19-year-old midfielder controlled the pass and fired a low shot through Pierre Kalulu’s legs into the bottom corner, marking his second goal of the season.
Late Substitution Pays Off as Gatti Equalizes
As the clock wound down, Juventus pressed desperately for an equalizer. Nick Woltemade fired wide in the 85th minute after Manuel Locatelli chipped the ball into the penalty area. With time running out, Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti made his final change in the 88th minute, sending center-back Federico Gatti onto the pitch in place of Zeki Celik. The tactical gamble paid off four minutes later. Teun Koopmeiners delivered a precise cross to the edge of the six-yard box, where Gatti rose above the defense to power a header off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.
Standings Implications After Three Matches
The dramatic late strike left both Juventus and AC Milan locked on seven points after three matches in the early Serie A campaign. The shared points reflect a gritty encounter where Milan’s defensive resilience and clinical finishing nearly stole a victory, only for Juventus to rescue a result at the death.
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