Roma V Milan: Stalemate

By: Martha | March 31st, 2007

Brocchi n Mancini So, Gilardino came on at the half, and his very first act was to go down like he’d been shot, and put on his “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” near-tears face for the referee. His next three or four involvements featured him being offside or handling the ball but refusing, as usual, to accept any responsibility for his actions (though the replay showed the linesman was right pretty much every time). In Gila’s head, the linesman had it in for him, and he made it more than obvious. Though he stopped whining long enough to score Milan’s only goal, shortly thereafter he squandered his team’s best change to win by missing a WIDE OPEN goal off a perfect feed from Kaka. So does the goal make it worth all the endless crap, Milan fans? Or does he piss you off as much as he does me?

In other, less irritating news, Nesta made his long-awaited return and looked awesome from minute one. Woo hoo! That said, Roma opened the game all over Milan, and scored before Milan had even gotten out of their own half. They had about four corners in quick succession, and took them so fast Milan had no clue what was going on — I think the Rossoneri defense, like me, thought a replay was being shown when, all of a sudden, Mexes was ripping the ball into the net. I still don’t know it happened so fast, but it was a great goal.

Milan came out much better in the second half and were a much more coherent attacking presence. The last ball was often lacking still, but their flow and rhythm were much better, and you could tell a goal was coming — though the foul that led to Gila’s goal was dubious at best, it was no less than Milan deserved at the time. (Which, incidentally, was something of an accomplishment, considering the fact that Oddo ~~Bonera~~* and Gattuso were all being rested ahead of the midweek Champions League match.) And, once they escape the insane siege Roma laid to their goal between the 70th and 75th minutes — I think there were about eight shot and five desperate blocks during that time — Milan alway looks likely to grab a point. Of course, a point does neither team any good, but it’s probably better than nothing.

*Thanks to Ashley for pointing out that Bonera was serving a suspension, not resting. Or rather, he was resting, but it was because the league made him.