Lecce strike late to earn draw at Milan on Pioli’s debut

A stunning stoppage-time equaliser from Lecce’s Marco Calderoni denied Stefano Pioli a win on his debut as AC Milan coach when his side were held to a 2-2 home draw in Serie A on Sunday.

Hakan Calhanoglu smashed in the opening goal during an impressive first half from the hosts but Lecce drew level after the break through Khouma Babacar.

Substitute Krzysztof Piatek restored Milan’s lead with nine minutes remaining but Calderoni’s long-range piledriver in the 92nd minute levelled the scores.

Former Inter Milan coach Pioli made his debut in the Milan dugout after succeeding sacked boss Marco Giampaolo earlier this month.

“It’s a pity, we wanted the win and didn’t get it because of our mistakes,” Pioli said.

“I saw some good moves, quality and spirit, but if you leave the game open, you can have a nasty surprise at the end.”

The draw leaves his side in 12th place on 10 points, their lowest tally after eight games since the 2012/13 season.

 “Milan players are well aware of their capabilities and the fact they are wearing a prestigious jersey,” he continued.

Milan made a bright start as Rafael Leao tested the goalkeeper and hit the side-netting, before Calhanoglu smashed a half-volley in from a tight angle in the 20th minute.

The impressive hosts registered 12 shots on goal before the interval, a record for the club in the first half of a Serie A game this season.

Lecce were handed a lifeline when Andrea Conti handballed in the box to concede a penalty, and Babacar found the net on the rebound after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved his spot kick.

Pioli’s team reacted as Calhanoglu hit the bar directly from a corner before narrowly firing a half-volley wide, and they found the breakthrough when the Turkish midfielder’s cut-back was rolled into the corner by Piatek.

Milan looked set for victory as they headed into stoppage time until Calderoni unleashed a stunning left-footed effort into the corner.

Earlier on Sunday, an Andreas Cornelius hat-trick helped Parma thrash struggling Genoa 5-1.

Parma move up to eighth after substitute Andreas Cornelius scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 hammering of lowly Genoa.

The Danish forward came on after Roberto Inglese went off with an ankle injury after ten minutes. Stefano Okaka’s header was enough to give struggling Udinese their second win of the season as Torino slipped to 10th.

Earlier, Roma on Sunday issued an apology for their supporters racially abusing Sampdoria’s English midfielder Ronaldo Vieira during their goalless Serie A draw.

“Roma does not tolerate racism of any kind and the club will support the authorities in identifying and subsequently banning any individuals found guilty of racially abusing the midfielder.” Monkey chants were directed at 21-year-old Vieira towards the end of the first half of Sunday’s match with an announcement made over the stadium loudspeaker, but the match was not interrupted.

The English U21 international, who was born in Guinea Bissau and raised in Portugal and England, joined Sampdoria in 2018 from Leeds United.

“This happens too often, it shouldn’t be this way,” Vieira told Italian television Rai Sport.

The English footballer later wrote on Instagram: “Football has a responsibility to punish and educate the idiots in the stadium today. Nonetheless, it was a good point for the team.” Sampdoria later thanked Roma via social media for their message: “Thank you. Always together for a better football #stopracism” The problem of racism is a recurring one in Italian football.

This season Inter Milan’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku and AC Milan’s Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie have been targeted by monkey chants without any sanctions being applied.

Atalanta were fined 10,000 euros ($11,000) earlier this month for racist abuse by their fans aimed at Fiorentina’s Brazilian defender Dalbert.

Blaise Matuidi, Kalidou Koulibaly and Moise Kean were also victims of racist abuse last season.

Agencies