AC Milan’s bright start under new manager Sergio Conceicao hit a snag as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cagliari at the San Siro. The result comes as a disappointment for the Rossoneri, who were looking to build on their recent Supercoppa Italiana triumph.
Alvaro Morata opened the scoring for Milan, but their lead was short-lived as Mike Maignan’s uncharacteristic error allowed Cagliari to equalize through Nadir Zortea.
The match saw Milan dominate possession and create numerous chances, with Christian Pulisic twice hitting the woodwork. The American was denied by the crossbar early in the second half and later saw a volley strike the post before Morata pounced on the rebound to give Milan the lead.
However, Cagliari’s resilience paid off when Zortea’s speculative effort from the edge of the area caught Maignan off guard, sneaking into the far corner. The French goalkeeper, usually a pillar of reliability, will be disappointed with his misjudgment.
Cagliari’s debutant goalkeeper Elia Caprile had an impressive outing, making several crucial saves to deny Milan’s attackers. His performance was particularly notable in thwarting Pulisic in a one-on-one situation and parrying a fierce strike from Theo Hernandez in the dying moments of the match.
Milan’s new signing Tammy Abraham had opportunities to secure the win but couldn’t find the target, missing two clear-cut chances that could have changed the outcome of the game.
Goals: Morata 51 (M), Zortea 55 (C)
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria (61′ Jimenez), Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Musah (61′ Abraham), Fofana; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao (88′ Omoregbe); Morata
Cagliari (4-2-3-1) Caprile; Zappa, Luperto, Palomino (76′ Wieteska), Obert; Makoumbou (82′ Marin), Adopo; Zortea, Viola (65′ Deiola), Felici (82′ Augello); Piccoli.
