Serie A | Milan 1-0 Verona: Rafael Leao is just enough

Rafael Leao scored the only goal with an early counter-attack, but Marco Sportiello needed a couple of big saves to get the better of Verona and Rade Krunic went off injured.

Stefano Pioli transformed his team after two dismal results, losing the derby 5-1 and drawing 0-0 with Newcastle in the Champions League, switching to a 3-4-3 formation resting Ruben Loftus-Cheek, while Mike Maignan joined Theo Hernandez, Davide Calabria, Pierre Kalulu, Ismael Bennacer and Mattia Caldara on the treatment table. Hellas had a creditable seven points from four rounds, but Josh Doig, Jackson Tchatchoua, Jayden Braaf and Thomas Henry were injured.

The pitch was in poor condition after a hailstorm during the warm-up, so kick-off was delayed by 25 minutes following an inspection.

It took just eight minutes to break the deadlock, as Verona were harassed into losing possession in midfield by Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud’s pass sparking the sprint from captain Rafael Leao to score one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Marco Sportiello flew for a fantastic reaction save on the Michael Folorunsho header from close range on Terracciano’s cross.

After the restart, Federico Bonazzoli’s volley was straight at Sportiello, Milan only threatening on a Leao counter-attack with shot charged down by Giangiacomo Magnani.

Rade Krunic went off with a muscular injury and the referee waved away timid appeals for an Isak Hien nudge on Loftus-Cheek, while Pulisic turned his defender inside out for a ferocious strike beaten out from under the bar.

Verona remained in the game, Folorunsho nodding a Jovane Cabral cross just over, then Milan gave Davide Bartesaghi his Serie A debut.

Yunus Musah sprinted down the right on a Luka Jovic assist to sting Lorenzo Montipó’s gloves from a tricky angle, then Jovic sprung the offside trap from Noah Okafor’s pass only to prod it straight at the goalkeeper.

Milan 1-0 Verona

Leao 8 (M)