AC Milan lost 2-1 to Parma on Saturday, as the seven-time European champions continued their lackluster start to the Serie A season under new manager Paulo Fonseca.
Matteo Cancellieri scored the winner 13 minutes from time in a thrilling match against the newly promoted side at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.
The 22-year-old winger met Pontus Almqvist’s low cross perfectly to score his first goal since being loaned to Parma from Lazio in their 2-1 defeat to Udinese.
Milan had picked up a point from their first two league games under Portuguese coach Fonseca but looked to have sealed victory when Christian Pulisic equalised after 66 minutes to head in an early close-range shot from Dennis Mann.
However, Parma were dangerous on every counter-attack and might have been level before the break had their finishing not been so shaky.
“I can’t hide that it’s my fault but it’s clear we have problems defensively and attackingly,” Fonseca told DAZN.
“Against Torino (the 2-2 draw) we didn’t press high enough and that caused problems. Today we tried to press high but we still had problems.”
“Pre-season was good but that’s the reality.”
Milan didn’t wake up until just after the half-hour, testing Zion Suzuki three times in the space of a few minutes, but it was the home team who were the more dangerous.
– Milan will be punished –
After another fine performance from Mann, Simon Sohm missed a golden chance to double Parma’s lead, this time racing up the right wing, cutting in and laying a pass to his Swiss teammate.
And Valentin Mihaila managed to avoid scoring when Antge-Yohan Bony played a pass in front of goal, but he handled the ball slowly, allowing Fikayo Tomori to fill the big gap left by Milan’s defence.
Milan looked like different people after the break and had two chances to equalise inside the first three minutes of the second half: Tijani Lijnders’ shot was deflected off the crossbar and Suzuki did well to keep out Pulisic’s low shot.
Mann collapsed to the ground in frustration after a delicate curling shot went just wide on a Parma counter-attack in the 62nd minute, before Pulisic equalised for Milan moments later.
Rafael Leon raced down the left wing, exchanged passes with Theo Hernandez and set up U.S. star Pulisic for a simple finish.
Milan pressed on but Parma made another lightning break and Cancellieri scored the winner to the acclaim of a jubilant home crowd.
Champions Inter Milan then make their season debut at San Siro against Lecce, who will be without injured captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez, while Monza host Genoa.
Mehdi Taremi will be making his first start for Simone Inzaghi’s side since signing as a free agent after being released by Porto last month.
td/nf/nr