AC Milan endured a frustrating 2-1 defeat against Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday, a match marked by three missed penalties and exceptional goalkeeping from David de Gea, who played a pivotal role in securing the win for the hosts.
In a thrilling contest filled with dramatic moments, De Gea showcased his skills by saving penalty attempts from Milan’s Theo Hernandez and Tammy Abraham, while Milan’s Mike Maignan denied Moise Kean’s spot kick. The outcome leaves Milan in sixth place with 11 points, five adrift of league leaders Napoli. While Fiorentina climbs to 11th with 10-points after securing two wins and a draw in their last three league matches.
“This win is crucial. Finally, the work we’ve put in over the past few-weeks is starting to pay off,” De Gea remarked to DAZN. “Beating Milan can set the stage for a different season. It was an incredible night. I want to focus not on the penalties, but on the work the team is doing to give the fans a night like this.”
The match started with early drama when referee awarded a penalty to Kean in the 22nd-minute after Hernandez fouled him. However, the Frenchman’s effort was thwarted by Maignan, who made a spectacular save. Kean soon found the back of the net, but the referee disallowed his goal for offside, adding to his frustrations.
Fiorentina broke the deadlock 10 minutes before halftime when Yacine Adli scored with a low shot from the edge of the box that nestled into the corner, hitting the post on its way in. Out of respect for his parent club, Adli refrained from celebrating.
Just before halftime, Milan earned a penalty when Luca Ranieri tripped Tijjani Reijnders. However, De Gea denied Hernandez with a stunning one-handed save, maintaining Fiorentina’s lead.
The second half saw Kean continue to struggle, with another goal disallowed for offside. Milan received another chance to equalize when Matteo Gabbia fouled Abraham, leading to a penalty for the hosts. De Gea again came up big, making a brilliant diving save to deny Abraham. Marking the first time since May 2016 that a goalkeeper saved two penalties in a single Serie A match.
Milan finally found the equalizer in the 60th minute when Christian Pulisic volleyed home a cross to make it 1-1. However, Fiorentina quickly responded with Albert Gudmundsson’s strike in the 73rd minute, which restored their lead.
The closing minutes were tense as the referee sent off Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino for dissent. Milan’s Hernandez, celebrating his 27th birthday, ended the match on a sour note as he was dismissed for arguing with the referee.
As the international break approaches, both teams look to regroup, with Milan aiming to improve their league standing while Fiorentina seeks to build on their recent successes.
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