Serie A Result: Juventus 2-0 AC Milan - Player Ratings & Match Highlights
Sergio Conceicao suffered his first defeat in charge of Milan as Juventus avenged their Supercoppa Italiana heartbreak on Saturday evening. Thiago Motta’s side netted two unanswered second-half goals to beat their fierce rivals 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium and temporarily leapfrog Lazio into fourth in the Serie A table.
Both sides have presentable opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. Rafael Leao came closest to pulling Milan 1-0 up in the first half, yet Michele Di Gregorio made a last-gasp save to thwart his low effort on the line after a delightful cutback from the resurgent Theo Hernandez.
Juventus nearly punished Milan for several wasted chances on the stroke of halftime when Kenan Yildiz riffled goalward from close range, only for Mike Maignan to stop his effort with a relatively comfortable save. However, the visitors seemed up the creek without a paddle after the break.
Indeed, Juventus dominated possession early in the second half and deservedly picked up the lead just before the hour mark. Samuel Mbangula’s strike took a fortunate deflection of Emerson Royal, catching Maignan off balance as Milan fell a goal behind in their second consecutive Serie A game.
However, this time, there was no way back. Tim Weah doubled Juventus’ advantage minutes after the opening goal to seal Milan’s fate, keeping Conceicao’s team six points off the top-four pace. Without further ado, let’s look at our ratings.
AC Milan
Mike Maignan – 5.5
Emerson’s attempted block left him powerless for the first goal, but he should’ve done better to parry Weah’s shot away.
Emerson Royal – 5
It was an unlucky deflection but probably best summarized his terrible performance in Turin. Invisible in attack and porous at the back.
Fikayo Tomori – 5.5
Despite some unconvincing interventions, the Englishman fared reasonably well until Weah comfortably bested him to end Milan’s comeback hopes.
Matteo Gabbia – 7
The Italian slotted in for Malick Thiaw and held up his end of the bargain, dominating his opponents in the air while making a crucial block to deny Teun Koopmeiners early in the first half.
Theo Hernandez – 6.5
He did everything to set up Leao in the first half and continued to be a threat after the halftime interval. Should’ve released the ball much quicker on several occasions.
Ismael Bennacer – 6
A lengthy spell on the sidelines took its toll on the diminutive midfielder, as he made numerous uncharacteristic mistakes and seemed out of steam until being taken off midway through the second half.
Youssouf Fofana – 6.5
His defensive play was commendable, but the Frenchman relied too much on Bennacer’s passing prowess in the build-up, often refusing to take risks in possession.
Tijjani Reijnders – 5.5
A rare night off for the Dutchman! Too nonchalant at times, he failed to be the linchpin between Milan’s midfield and attack as he has often been this season.
Rafael Leao – 6
Since Di Gregorio saved his shot in the first half, the Milan talisman vanished from the pitch. He tried to take more responsibility at 2-0, but it was too late.
Yunus Musah – 5.5
Conceicao’s experiment with the USMNT midfielder on the wing was an epic disaster. His attacking limitations came to the fore, overshadowing his defensive effort.
Tammy Abraham – 5
A forgettable night for Alvaro Morata’s deputy wasn’t entirely his fault, considering he lacked service in the box despite fighting tooth and nail for every possession.
Substitutes
Alejandro Jimenez – 5.5
Francesco Camarda – 5
Filippo Terracciano – N/A
Luka Jovic – N/A
Juventus:
Michele di Gregorio – 8.0
He had a good game, making some superb saves to help Juventus preserve their clean sheet.
Weston McKennie – 7.0
Deployed at right-back, McKennie did a fine job of limiting Rafael Leão’s impact and gave him little space to operate.
Federico Gatti – 7.5
Gatti handled the challenge of Tammy Abraham well and even pushed forward when the opportunity arose.
Pierre Kalulu – 7.5
Facing his parent club, Kalulu delivered a solid performance, showcasing his composure and defensive ability.
Andrea Cambiaso – 7.0
Speculation about Manchester City may have been a distraction, but his performance was steady if unspectacular.
Khephren Thuram – 7.5
Thuram continues to grow in importance for Juventus. His excellent assist for Timothy Weah’s goal underlined his quality.
Manuel Locatelli – 8.0
Locatelli thrives in big games, and this match was no exception. His commanding performance hinted at his potential as a future captain.
Samuel Mbangula – 8.5
The standout performer for Juventus on the night, Mbangula was a constant threat and outshone Kenan Yildiz with his attacking play.
Teun Koopmeiners – 7.5
Another assured display from Koopmeiners, who helped control possession and came close to scoring with a spectacular effort.
Kenan Yildiz – 7.5
Operating in a free role, Yildiz made life difficult for Milan and always looked capable of producing something special.
Nicolas Gonzalez – 7.5
Gonzalez brought technical excellence to Juve’s attack, though he still needs to start adding goals to his game.
Substitutes
Timothy Weah – 8.0
The very definition of a super-sub, Weah made an instant impact with a well-taken goal.
Douglas Luiz – 6.0
Struggled to impose himself after coming on but, fortunately, Juventus kept their clean sheet intact.
Dušan Vlahović – N/A
Had too little time to make any meaningful impact.
Nicolò Fagioli – N/A
Not on the pitch long enough to influence proceedings.
Vasilije Adžić – N/A
Played too briefly to be rated.
Match Highlights:
