AC Milan turned jeers to cheers on Sunday as two goals in stoppage time gave the seven-time European champions a stunning 3-2 win over Parma in Serie A. Trailing to what looked like being Enrico Delprato’s winner for Parma heading into added time, Milan triumphed thanks to strikes from Tijjani Reijnders and Samuel Chukwueze, sending previously frustrated fans delirious with joy. Milan move up to sixth, five points behind Lazio who sit fourth and host off-form Fiorentina in Sunday’s late match.
Nigeria forward Chukwueze’s bundled finish completely changed the atmosphere around the San Siro and gave Sergio Conceicao’s team a huge boost ahead of a massive week.
Milan travel to Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday gunning for direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League before their local derby with Inter Milan next weekend.
“I think we showed the right mentality, fighting to the end and the way we changed this game is crazy,” said Netherlands midfielder Reijnders after his 11th goal of the season.
“This game was important for us to get back where we belong. Now we have to continue.”
Fan discontent had threatened to bubble over in the 80th minute when Delprato forced home on the rebound after Mike Maignan did brilliantly to keep out Drissa Camara.
Supporters turned towards the directors’ box and ironically applauded Milan’s management, after Milan’s hardcore ultras watched the majority of the match in silence, only raising their voices to again demand that American owners RedBird sell the club.
The loudest cheers heard from home fans before Reijnders’ 91st-minute equaliser, slotted home from Yunus Musah’s fine through ball, came moments before when Strahinja Pavlovic headed in what he thought was the leveller before it was rightly ruled out for offside.
Unfortunate Parma were left with nothing from an excellent performance which deserved more but meant Fabio Pecchia’s team stay a point above the relegation zone.
“When you play like that at the San Siro and you leave with a defeat there’s going to be disappointment but there’s also awareness of what we did because I saw a lot of good stuff today,” said Pecchia.
“A performance like that can only serve us well for the future.”
Inter are at Lecce on Sunday evening hoping to halve the six-point gap separating the champions from league leaders Napoli, with Roma at fellow mid-table outfit Udinese.
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