IJEH SCORES AGAIN, AC MILAN 1-0 SASSUOLO

A strong run continues. After the break, the Rossonere claimed a 1-0 victory over Sassuolo, thanks to Ijeh’s fourth goal of the Serie A season. The Swedish forward made the difference in the 81st minute with a well-placed left-footed shot, scoring for the third consecutive match following her goals against Sampdoria and Roma. After a hard-fought contest, Bakker’s side thoroughly deserved the win, given their volume of play and the chances they created. While it took longer than anticipated to break the deadlock, Evelyn’s goal, assisted by Karczewska, added vital value to the team’s performance and secured the three points.

In the 90 minutes, Sassuolo was given very few opportunities, leading to the third clean sheet in the last four matches. This statistic further highlights the positive momentum, with four wins in the last five games interrupted only by the defeat in Rome. The team showcased at the PUMA House of Football is a brave AC Milan driven by the energy of its young players like Stokić who had a strong debut as a starter and supported by the experience of the veterans. The next match sees us face league leaders Juventus in Biella on Saturday 9 November at 16:00 CET. It will be an interesting test to assess the continued development of this group.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v SASSUOLO

MATCH REPORT
A strong AC Milan started brightly and created the first notable chance of the match in the 8th minute. The move started with Renzotti, who found Nadim in the centre of the area. Nadim's right-footed effort was well saved by Durand. Sassuolo tried to respond and found the net in the 18th minute with a goal from Sabatino, but it was ruled out for offside. The Rossonere regained the initiative with a lovely combination in the 20th minute, featuring a clever flick from Nadim and a first-time right-footed shot from Mascarello that was impressive but missed the target. AC Milan continued to push forward, but after the initial flurry, the game entered a quieter phase. They advanced with confidence again towards the end of the first half, with Nadim rising to meet a corner from the right, but she could not direct her header accurately. In the second half, however, the game opened up, and chances came thick and fast. Ijeh broke away in the 50th minute, sprinting down the right and delivering a ball for Stokić, who struck it first time but was met with a crucial block from Brustia.

After losing possession in midfield, Sassuolo managed to take a shot in the 56th minute, but Giuliani was quick to react and made the save. A golden opportunity came in the 64th minute when Ijeh evaded the offside trap and broke away, but she mis-controlled the pass meant for Nadim while in a promising position. AC Milan continued to press, with substitute Cernoia delivering a pass to Nadim in the penalty area. Nadim attempted a header but failed to direct it on target, causing no trouble for Durand. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 81st minute when Karczewska flicked the ball to Ijeh, who shifted it onto her left foot and curled a shot into the bottom corner, beating the goalkeeper at the near post. Sassuolo pushed for an equaliser, while AC Milan squandered a counterattack when Karczewska, after a long run with the ball, shot straight at Durand. Arrigoni had another chance, sending a left-footed effort just wide before the referee's final whistle signalled the end of the match.

MATCH DETAILS

AC MILAN 1-0 SASSUOLO

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Giuliani; Koivisto, Piga, Sorelli, Soffia; Ijeh (89' Arrigoni), Rubio (89' Mesjasz), Mascarello (65' Cernoia); Renzotti, Nadim (76' Karczewska), Stokić (76' Marinelli). Unused subs.: Fedele, Tornaghi; Appiah, Cesarini, Sevenius, Swaby, Zanini. All.: Bakker. 

SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Durand; Brustia (87' Traoré), Orsi, Pleidrup, Philtjens; Fisher (60' Monterubbiano), Missipo, Prugna; Sabatino (60' Hagemann), Chmielinski, Dhont (72' De Rita). Unused subs: Di Nallo, Lonni; Adami, Caiazzo, Fusini, Gallazzi, Mella, Nocchi. All.: Rossi. 

Referee: Vingo di Pisa.
Goal: 81' Ijeh (M).
Bookings: 66' Sorelli (M), 71' Monterubbiano (S), 80' Hagemann (S).

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