At San Siro, Milan defeated Empoli in a commanding game. Goals came from Morata and a brace from Reijnders.
Hernandez along the left flank gives Milan their first corner of the match. After a strong attacking play from the home team, Empoli exhale with relief as Pulisic’s looping delivery into the box goes right into Vasquez’s hands.
Milan wins a free-kick in a highly promising position on the left side of the attack as Anjorin is unable to keep up with Leao’s pace and pulls him down just outside the area. Emerson wins another comer down the right as Pulisic’s attempt is stopped and the ball goes to him.
Leao hits Hemandez with a beautiful ball as he runs down the left. Morata was running diagonally into the box when Hemandez found him, and the Spanish striker’s low shot towards the far post missed the mark by a narrow margin. The referee rejects the request for a comer. Milan made a wise decision.
Hernandez is nearly put in a great position inside the box by Pulisic, but Goglichidze intercepts the pass expertly, and Empoli counterattacks. Milan, though, eliminates the danger. Shortly after, Reijnders tries a long-range shot, but it misses the mark by a wide margin. Milan now has a corner after the effort was deflected by Empoli.
Morata has returned to both the team and the scoreboard. Leao was running into the box when Emerson found him. Leao’s shot bounces off an Empoli defender and lands on Morata, who takes it once, then it bounces off another defender before slipping past Vasquez and into the net. Milan wins 1-0.
Milan’s defenders do a good job of clearing it away, but Anjorin easily dismisses Morata outside the area and tries to locate a central teammate. Shortly after, Anjorin attempts a second left-wing cross, this time finding Colombo, whose header misses by a little margin.
Pulisic easily dribbles past a couple of players after Morata’s shot is blocked, but he keeps the ball for too long before trying to shoot, and Empoli clear. He then regains possession of the ball and tries a shot from outside the box in the direction of the top scorer, but it misses the mark even though it is not far away.
Empoli can launch a counterattack when Goglichidze successfully stops Leao within the Empoli zone and regains possession of the ball. They get a corner down the left flank. Morata heads the incoming set-piece away as Milan clears it.
Once again, Goglichidze does a fantastic job of denying Morata. Milan’s defense is up to the challenge once more, as Empoli advances on the counter and wins a throw-in this time down the left.
However, that disappointment is short-lived as Milan takes a 2-0 lead thanks to Reijnders. Reijnders receives a pass from Pulisic from the right edge of the box, but it comes off a deflection, and he slams it first time into the bottom-left corner past a diving Vasquez, who is unable to even reach it with his fingertips. It’s a similar finish to Morata’s goal.
Milan loses the ball cheaply, and Maleh wins it in midfield before trying a long-range shot. He hits it really hard, and for a split second, it looks like the ball will go into the top of the goal, but it avoids a diving Maignan and bounces off the crossbar! Empoli’s agony.
Leao was chasing a bad back pass from an Empoli defender towards his goalkeeper when Vasquez had to extend and catch the ball. Empoli might have given up a horrible goal, but the goalie performs a good job.
Milan got a 3-0 lead when Reijnders scores his second goal. Fofana finds Reijnders, who runs with the ball for a considerable distance before effortlessly putting it into the bottom corner after entering the box. They always had more numbers on the counter. Milan easily defeats Empoli’s defense once more.
Esposito tries a shot from outside the box on the volley, but it misses the mark by a narrow margin. With such a comfortable lead, Milan is eager to make more substitutes to give some of their regulars a break.
Leao is fouled by Marianucci in the center of the field. Pulisic is inside the box as Chukwueze and Emerson combine nicely down the right, but the American’s attempt is stopped and Empoli clears the threat.
Milan has a goal kick after Cacace wastes a chance since his attempt went behind the byline before it had even settled. What a shoddy effort! Loftus-Cheek is then fouled by Maleh in the center of the field.
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