On behalf of the 3rd day of Serie A 2022-2023, AC Milan did the job at San Siro. Against a Bologna team that came to thwart the Lombard plans, the Rossoneri won with one goal in each period (2-0) and temporarily took the reins of the standings awaiting the Naples match on Sunday. For his first start of the season in the league, Olivier Giroud scored his first goal and proved that he was more than ever in the race to be called up for the next World Cup.
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His blonde dye to start the season did not make him change course. Reigning Italian champion and center-forward from the kick-off of the game, Giroud had a match at the forefront of the Milan attack. Thanks to the confidence granted by Stefano Pioli, the tricolor international first became the first defender to exert strong pressure on the Bolognese defense. But opposite, Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men intended to play a bad trick on the locals, and the Arnautovic-Barrow pair brought danger to try to shake up the favorite.
A magnificent volley for Giroud
But with experience, Milan was able to pull out of the game. Thanks to a recovery in the middle of the field, Charles De Ketelaere inherited the ball to shift Rafael Leao, so far very discreet. Courted by Chelsea, the Portuguese international raised his market value a little more by opening the scoring with a low shot at the near post (21st, 1-0). Once in front, Milan missed several opportunities to double the lead. Pierre Kalulu first forgot Giroud to come up against Lukas Skorupski (25th), then Messias (27th) and Leao (45th) in turn lost their duel against the solid Polish goalkeeper.
Not serious: in the second period, Bologna did not shake Mike Maignan, at ease in his cage. And after missing a first opportunity with a header from a corner (57th), Giroud scored the break goal with a magnificent volley on a millimeter cross from Leao (58th, 2-0). If the addition could have been a little heavier without new parades from Skorupski in front of incoming Alexis Saelemakers (70th) and Yacine Adli (85th), AC Milan have proven that they are a more than legitimate candidate in their own succession.
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