Monday, January 28, 2008
Super Pato Double Defeats Genoa
Alexandre Pato was the hero at the Stadio Meazza, scoring both goals as Milan produced a hugely impressive display in defeating Genoa 2-0.
After a slow opening to the game, Milan gradually started to exert their dominance, and Pato missed two excellent chances to put his side ahead as the teams went in goalless at half-time.
The second half was all Milan, and after a host of squandered opportunities, Pato finally made the breakthrough with a cushioned header on 68 minutes. A minute later Genoa were reduced to ten men as Scarpi was sent-off for handling a Pato shot outside the area. The 18-year-old, who could have grabbed five this afternoon, killed off the game on 82 minutes after surging behind the Udinese backline with some electric pace.
Milan came into the game without the injured Ronaldo, Marek Jankulovski, Filippo Inzaghi and Nelson Dida but Paolo Maldini was back after illness.
Genoa were minus the influential Julio Leon and the on-loan Domenico Criscito, both through suspension. New signing Anthony Vanden Borre was on the substitutes bench.
The opening 20 minutes of the game were desperately poor with both sides failing to create any chances of note.
Milan slowly started to exert their dominance and a brilliant first-time pass from Kaka released Alexandre Pato in the left-hand channel but he sliced his first-time shot and it went well wide.
Pato was then presented with a decent opportunity, following more fine work from Kaka, however he again didn’t make a good connection with the ball.
Genoa were playing mainly on the counter-attack, and Marco Rossi fired in an attempt from an acute angle that Zeljko Kalac gathered at the second attempt.
Just short of the half-hour mark Pato was guilty of an incredible miss. Kaka's shot was fortuitously deflected into the path of the youngster but from eight yards out, Rubinho in the Genoa goal somehow pulled off a miraculous point-blank save.
Pirlo was the next to try his luck as he curled in a wicked effort from 30 yards that dipped just inches over the crossbar. Genoa could not be discounted on the break and Fabiano slashed a left-footed shot harmlessly wide.
A horrendous mistake by Alessandro Nesta then gave Marco Borriello acres of space to run in down the left, and the striker brought a tough save out of Kalac at his near-post.
With the first half clock running down there were two further dangerous moments for the Milan defence. First of all Fabiano's cross from the left just missed the head of Borriello, then Giuseppe Sculli mis-hit the rebound.
Milan came out in the second half on a mission and Clarence Seedorf turned a Massimo Oddo cross over the bar from close-range.
On the counter-attack Genoa then created their best chance of the match. Borriello latched onto a long-ball, flicked the ball past Nesta but his finish did not have enough power to beat Kalac.
Another superb chance then went begging for Milan. Kaka found his way onto the end of an Oddo ball but was denied superbly by Rubinho from just eight yards out.
Milan were completely dominant now and Pato first headed over the bar, before then fizzing a ball right across the six-yard box.
It didn’t seem like it was going to be Milan’s day, and they were also denied a clear-cut penalty by the referee when Konko blatantly stuck out an arm on a Maldini cross.
Finally on 68 minutes the Rossoneri made the breakthrough courtesy of that man Pato. Maldini’s cross was headed on by Seedorf and the youngster coolly guided his header past Rubinho.
Just a minute later things became even more desperate for Genoa as they were reduced to ten men. Massimo Ambrosini put Pato clean through, and Rubinho came racing out of his area before handling the ball as the striker tried to lob the ball over him.
The referee had no hesitation in sending him off and Omar Milanetto was sacrificed for replacement goalkeeper Alessio Scarpi.
From the resulting free-kick, Pirlo curled deliciously over the wall and just inches wide of Scarpi’s post.
Pato then wasted a great opportunity to make it 2-0. Pirlo opened up the defence for Kaka, who cut the ball back for the 18-year-old in the middle. However his touch was too heavy and Scarpi dived onto the ball.
After a slow opening to the game, Milan gradually started to exert their dominance, and Pato missed two excellent chances to put his side ahead as the teams went in goalless at half-time.
The second half was all Milan, and after a host of squandered opportunities, Pato finally made the breakthrough with a cushioned header on 68 minutes. A minute later Genoa were reduced to ten men as Scarpi was sent-off for handling a Pato shot outside the area. The 18-year-old, who could have grabbed five this afternoon, killed off the game on 82 minutes after surging behind the Udinese backline with some electric pace.
Milan came into the game without the injured Ronaldo, Marek Jankulovski, Filippo Inzaghi and Nelson Dida but Paolo Maldini was back after illness.
Genoa were minus the influential Julio Leon and the on-loan Domenico Criscito, both through suspension. New signing Anthony Vanden Borre was on the substitutes bench.
The opening 20 minutes of the game were desperately poor with both sides failing to create any chances of note.
Milan slowly started to exert their dominance and a brilliant first-time pass from Kaka released Alexandre Pato in the left-hand channel but he sliced his first-time shot and it went well wide.
Pato was then presented with a decent opportunity, following more fine work from Kaka, however he again didn’t make a good connection with the ball.
Genoa were playing mainly on the counter-attack, and Marco Rossi fired in an attempt from an acute angle that Zeljko Kalac gathered at the second attempt.
Just short of the half-hour mark Pato was guilty of an incredible miss. Kaka's shot was fortuitously deflected into the path of the youngster but from eight yards out, Rubinho in the Genoa goal somehow pulled off a miraculous point-blank save.
Pirlo was the next to try his luck as he curled in a wicked effort from 30 yards that dipped just inches over the crossbar. Genoa could not be discounted on the break and Fabiano slashed a left-footed shot harmlessly wide.
A horrendous mistake by Alessandro Nesta then gave Marco Borriello acres of space to run in down the left, and the striker brought a tough save out of Kalac at his near-post.
With the first half clock running down there were two further dangerous moments for the Milan defence. First of all Fabiano's cross from the left just missed the head of Borriello, then Giuseppe Sculli mis-hit the rebound.
Milan came out in the second half on a mission and Clarence Seedorf turned a Massimo Oddo cross over the bar from close-range.
On the counter-attack Genoa then created their best chance of the match. Borriello latched onto a long-ball, flicked the ball past Nesta but his finish did not have enough power to beat Kalac.
Another superb chance then went begging for Milan. Kaka found his way onto the end of an Oddo ball but was denied superbly by Rubinho from just eight yards out.
Milan were completely dominant now and Pato first headed over the bar, before then fizzing a ball right across the six-yard box.
It didn’t seem like it was going to be Milan’s day, and they were also denied a clear-cut penalty by the referee when Konko blatantly stuck out an arm on a Maldini cross.
Finally on 68 minutes the Rossoneri made the breakthrough courtesy of that man Pato. Maldini’s cross was headed on by Seedorf and the youngster coolly guided his header past Rubinho.
Just a minute later things became even more desperate for Genoa as they were reduced to ten men. Massimo Ambrosini put Pato clean through, and Rubinho came racing out of his area before handling the ball as the striker tried to lob the ball over him.
The referee had no hesitation in sending him off and Omar Milanetto was sacrificed for replacement goalkeeper Alessio Scarpi.
From the resulting free-kick, Pirlo curled deliciously over the wall and just inches wide of Scarpi’s post.
Pato then wasted a great opportunity to make it 2-0. Pirlo opened up the defence for Kaka, who cut the ball back for the 18-year-old in the middle. However his touch was too heavy and Scarpi dived onto the ball.
