Sandro Tonali was inspirational as Milan started 2023 on the right foot, providing a fantastic assist for Rafael Leao before scoring the second himself, as Guillermo Ochoa kept the scoreline down for Salernitana.
The Rossoneri made the trip without Mike Maignan, Simon Kjaer, Divock Origi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fode Ballo-Toure, Ante Rebic, Junior Messias, Alessandro Florenzi and Rade Krunic. Antonio Candreva was suspended, with Luigi Sepe, Pasquale Mazzocchi and Riccardo Maggiore injured.
Guillermo Ochoa made his Salernitana debut after starring for Mexico at the World Cup and within six minutes had to make a sensational reaction save with his toes, denying Rafael Leao one-on-one.
Olivier Giroud nodded over the bar from a Davide Calabria cross just 17 days after playing the World Cup Final with France, but Milan did break through moments later.
Sandro Tonali’s inspired first-time pass allowed Leao to spring the offside trap and the Portuguese talent sprinted around Ochoa to score from a tight angle into an empty net. Leao thanked his teammate for the pass by shining his boots.
Tonali added a goal to that magnificent assist, as his first shot from the edge of the area stung Ochoa’s gloves, but he scored at the second attempt laid off by Brahim Diaz.
Fikayo Tomori made a big block on Boulaye Dia’s strike, while Brahim Diaz saw the first parried and the follow-up drilled wide, then Ochoa made a desperate reaction save on Giroud after a cheeky Leao back-heel flick.
Salernitana wasted opportunities with poor Salomon Sambia and Tonny Vilhena finishing, while Giroud failed to make the most of two big chances straight after the restart.
Milan had the ball in the net on 58 minutes after Ismael Bennacer’s free kick took a couple of deflections before Fikayo Tomori fired in from six yards, but it was disallowed for Brahim Diaz’s offside as he tried to back-heel it in.
VAR also intervened when Domagoj Bradaric was shown a straight red card for going in late on Kalulu, so the referee changed his mind to just a yellow following an on-field review.
Ochoa made a wonderful double save on Giroud and then Charles De Ketelaere from a chipped Tonali free kick, but Salernitana immediately scored on the counter-attack. Lassana Coulibaly floated a ball to the back post for Federico Bonazzoli’s volley, as Saelemaekers was distracted on the marking.
Ochoa smothered a cheeky Sergino Dest flying back-heel flick, made a great reaction save to prevent Ivan Radovanovic’s own goal and then flew to keep out De Ketelaere.
Salernitana 1-2 Milan
Leao 10 (M), Tonali 15 (M), Bonazzoli 82 (S)
Two sides packed with Italian players: 3 from 22