Serie A. A great goal plunged Roma into a match against Milan. Nicola Zalewski and his colleagues failed [WIDEO]
Milan secured a notable victory in the third round of Serie A, defeating Roma 2-1. Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao were the goal scorers for Milan, with Giroud converting a penalty after a foul by Rui Patricio on Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The match also featured the Polish representative, Nicola Zalewski, who played on the left side for the host team. Leonardo Spinazzola managed to find the net for Roma.
However, the start of the 2023/2024 season was not favorable for Roma. They struggled to find their form, drawing 2-2 at home against Salernitana and suffering a 1-2 defeat against Hellas Verona. In contrast, Milan had a strong start, winning impressively against Bologna (2-0) and Torino (4-1), which boosted their confidence as they faced Roma.
🟨 Lukaku | #ASRoma 🟥 pic.twitter.com/lzlDsugQR1
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) September 1, 2023
The hosts’ lineup included Nicola Zalewski on the left side, while Romelu Lukaku began on the bench, receiving a warm welcome from the fans even before the game kicked off.
Nonetheless, Milan took control of the game early, with Olivier Giroud scoring in the 9th minute from the penalty spot. Rui Patricio’s foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek led to the penalty, and Giroud capitalized on the opportunity.
Throughout the first half, Milan’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, had little to do as Roma struggled to create chances. Milan had opportunities to extend their lead, but Rui Patricio made a crucial save after a cross from Theo Hernandez and a shot from Christian Pulisic.
A very solid first half at the Olimpico 👏#RomaMilan #SempreMilan
Brought to you by @Acqua_Lete pic.twitter.com/9l6oAiUuCk— AC Milan (@acmilan) September 1, 2023
While Zalewski faced challenges dealing with Pulisic, he was not the only Roma player struggling. The entire team underperformed, and the 0-1 scoreline at halftime was the least they deserved.
Milan continued their dominance in the second half. Davide Calabria’s cross found Rafael Leao, who extended Milan’s lead with an impressive overhead kick.
😱 GOLAZO RAFAELA LEÃO! 😱
Cudowny gol Portugalczyka w meczu z AS Romą! 😍⚽️ MUSICIE TO ZOBACZYĆ! 👇 #włoskarobota🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/FNMHFR0YS9
— ELEVEN SPORTS PL (@ELEVENSPORTSPL) September 1, 2023
Roma had a glimmer of hope when Fikayo Tomori received a second yellow card, leaving Milan with 10 players. However, this did not translate into a significant threat, with Maignan having to deal with only one shot on target, from Stephan El Shaarawy.
Romelu Lukaku’s debut for Roma did not change the dynamics of the match, and it was Leonardo Spinazzola, another substitute, who scored for Roma in added time.
9️⃣ + 🔟 e vittoria @acmilan 👏🔴⚫️#RomaMilan pic.twitter.com/BBAJ086Ny3
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) September 1, 2023
Ultimately, Roma lost 1-2 and had only one point after three Serie A rounds, while Milan continued their strong start to the season. Nicola Zalewski played the full 90 minutes but, like his teammates, struggled to make an impact, although he showed increased activity towards the end of the match, even attempting a strong shot that hit the side net.
