Playing with a chance to salvage their season, the Serie A giants fell flat in a 1-0 final defeat
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Milan fall 1-0Bologna lift Coppa ItaliaPulisic and co. face fight to make Europe next seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE
AC Milan suffered a massive, massive blow on Wednesday as they fell, 1-0, to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final. The game's defining moment came early in the second half, with Dan Ndoye netting in the 53rd minute to provide the only goal needed for Bologna to lift the trophy. This trophy is their first since 1998, when the club won the Intertoto Cup.
The first half was generally tense, with the two sides trading chances and yellow cards. Three cautions were handed out in the first 45, including one dubious one to U.S. international Christian Pulisic for what was perceived as a foul while chasing the ball. The American started and played 88 minutes but was generally ineffective, amassing just 33 touches and only one in the opposition box. Pulisic's USMNT teammate Yunus Musah was on the bench but didn't appear in this contest.
Milan were able to create a few chances in the second half, but nothing quite as clear cut as Ndoye's goal, which saw him patiently weave around Milan's defense before smashing a shot past Mike Maignan to score what turned out to be the game's only goal.
With the loss, Milan's hopes of playing European soccer next season are out of their hands. The winner of Wednesday's match earned a Europa League spot, and with Milan sitting all the way back in eighth with two games remaining, this was their best chance at earning that spot. Now, they'll need some help, as they trail sixth-place Roma by three points for a Europa Conference League spot and fourth and fifth-place Juventus and Lazio by four points with just those two games remaining.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE MVP
Every instinct in Dan Ndoye's head would have told him to blast it, but the Swiss winger didn't do that. Instead, he patiently waited for his chance and, when it came, he made no mistake. In addition to the goal, Ndoye created the most chances (three) and was the most fouled player in the game (four). Those stats add up to a clear-cut Man of the Match recognition for the 24-year-old Bologna attacker.
GettyTHE BIG LOSER
Pulisic is so often the man who makes things happen for Milan, and on Wednesday, he, like the rest of his teammates, couldn't do much of anything. He attempted just 18 passes, was 0-for-3 on dribbles, and was hardly noticeable in the final third. In general, Milan's attack sputtered, but throughout the season, Pulisic has shown the ability to lift them out of those moments. It wasn't to be on Wednesday, though, and so Milan lost this trophy chance.
Getty Images SportWHAT COMES NEXT?
The good news for Milan is that they face one of the teams above them this weekend when they travel to face Roma on Sunday. After that, they'll conclude their season at home against Monza, although it remains to be seen what hope they'll have heading into that finale.
