In a heart-stopping Serie A finale at San Siro, AC Milan narrowly avoided a shocking defeat against Genoa on Thursday, securing a 1-1 draw after surviving extraordinary penalty drama in stoppage time. The result grants local rivals Inter Milan a crucial three-point advantage atop the league standings.
The match reached its climax when Romanian midfielder Nicolae Stanciu sent a potential winning penalty soaring over the crossbar in the dying moments, squandering Genoa’s golden opportunity for a monumental upset. The penalty was awarded after Milan defender Davide Bartesaghi fouled Mikael Ellertsson, setting the stage for the dramatic conclusion.
Milan’s equalizer came through Portuguese forward Rafael Leão, who powered home a decisive header during second-half added time, finally breaking Genoa’s resilient defense. The visitors had taken a surprise lead just before the half-hour mark through Lorenzo Colombo, a Milan academy product currently on loan to Genoa, who capitalized against his parent club.
Despite extending their unbeaten league run to 17 matches, Milan’s dropped points proved particularly costly following Inter’s 2-0 victory over Parma the previous day. Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri emphasized the need for tactical maturity, stating his team should have created additional opportunities after their late equalizer without exposing themselves to counter-attacks.
In parallel Serie A action, veteran striker Jamie Vardy contributed both a goal and an assist for Cremonese, yet his efforts weren’t enough to secure victory as the team surrendered a two-goal halftime advantage to draw 2-2 with Cagliari. The former England international now boasts five goals in Italian football since his transfer.
The single point leaves Genoa just three points above the relegation zone as they prepare for critical matches against fellow strugglers Cagliari and Parma. For Colombo, the performance against his childhood club represented a positive step despite the heartbreaking conclusion, noting his team demonstrated character and competitive quality against one of Italy’s elite sides.