AC Milan staged a dramatic late comeback to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Parma at San Siro. The Rossoneri, who had been trailing 2-1 until the 91st minute, managed to turn the game on its head in the dying moments, with defender Strahinja Pavlovic playing a crucial role as an improvised striker.
The match began with Parma taking an early lead through Matteo Cancellieri, who capitalized on a slip by Theo Hernandez to curl a beautiful shot into the far corner. Milan equalized before halftime when Christian Pulisic converted a penalty after Parma’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki fouled Pavlovic in the box.
Parma regained the lead in the second half through Enrico Delprato, following a swift counter-attack. As the clock ticked down, Milan’s hopes seemed to be fading, especially after VAR ruled out what appeared to be an equalizer from Pavlovic for offside in the 88th minute.
However, the Rossoneri refused to give up. Tijjani Reijnders leveled the score at 2-2 in the dying minutes, latching onto a through ball and calmly slotting past Suzuki. With Parma reeling, Milan pushed for the winner, and it was the unlikely figure of Pavlovic who made the difference.
In a bold tactical move, manager Sergio Conceicao had pushed the Serbian defender forward as an extra attacker. The gamble paid off in spectacular fashion when Pavlovic nodded down a cross from Bartesaghi, allowing Samuel Chukwueze to bundle the ball over the line for a dramatic 3-2 victory.
The win comes as a relief for Milan, who had been struggling in Serie A recently despite good performances in other competitions. It also sets up an intriguing Derby della Madonnina against Inter next week, although they will be without the suspended Youssouf Fofana for that crucial encounter.
Goals: Cancellieri 24 (P), Pulisic pen 38 (M), Delprato 80 (P), Reijnders 92 (M), Chukwueze 95 (M)
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria (78′ Jovic), Gabbia, Pavlovic, Hernandez (46′ Bartesaghi); Fofana (57′ Chukwueze), Reijnders; Musah, Pulisic, Leao (46′ Bennacer); Morata (57′ Abraham)
Parma (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Delprato, Vogliacco, Valenti, Valeri; Sohm, Hernani (70′ Haj Mohamed); Man (69′ Almqvist), Cancellieri (83′ Hainaut), Mihaila (78′ Løvik); Djuric (70′ Djuric)
