MILAN: Wasteful AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Genoa in Serie A at the San Siro on Sunday, a result that dampened the festivities on the club’s 125th anniversary.

Milan celebrated the club’s foundation with greats such as former strikers Marco van Basten and Filippo Inzaghi, who entered the pitch holding their commemorative plates after being inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame before the game.

However, Paulo Fonseca’s side were booed at the end of the match after their performance failed to match the occasion.

Wearing new retro kits created for the anniversary, Milan had the upper hand from the start but created mostly half-chances in the opening period.

The hosts were fortunate to escape without conceding a penalty when teenage forward Mattia Liberali’s tackle on Genoa midfielder Fabio Miretti went unpunished.

Milan continued to create opportunities after the interval but without being able to break the deadlock.

Halftime substitute Alvaro Morata dribbled through the Genoa defence before firing over in the 76th minute and then hit the bar three minutes later to the dismay of the fans.

The home side had 22 goal attempts but only four on target.

“The players played with desire, they played like a team, the only thing that was missing was the goal,” insisted Fonseca. “We were aggressive, won the ball back high up the pitch, we had a lot of shots but just couldn’t score.”

Milan, who were celebrating the anniversary of their founding on Dec 16, 1899, remain eighth in the standings on 23 points from 15 games, eight points adrift of the top four. They are now winless in four of their last five Serie A games.

Patrick Vieira’s Genoa, mean­while, extended their unbeaten run to six matches and sit 13th with 16 points, two points above the relegation zone.

Earlier, Bologna beat fourth-placed visitors Fiore­ntina 1-0 earlier on Sunday, ending Viola’s winning streak of eight league games.

Sunday’s result moved Bologna up to seventh and three points behind Juventus, who sit in the Conference League spot, with a game in hand and gave coach Vincenzo Italiano a big win against his former club.

“We’re growing as a team and our identity is starting to come through, especially defensively,” said Italiano. “To have conceded so little to this Fiorentina team is brilliant.”

Meanwhile struggling AS Roma conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-0 at 16th-placed Como.

Como are 16th on the table with 15 points after two stoppage-time goals gave Cesc Fabregas’ side a surprise, but deserved win.

Roma are 12th on 16 points from 16 games, which is the club’s worst record in the three-points-for-a-win era at this stage of a campaign.

Elsewhere, Hellas Verona, 17th edged 15th-placed Parma 3-2 while Lecce registered a narrow 2-1 win over Monza.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2024