Serie A: Roma Deny Milan Victory with Dybala's Stunning Volley

AC Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by Roma, despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, with Dybala's stunning volley earning the visitors a point.

AC Milan and Roma were both desperate for a win, but ultimately had to settle for a share of the spoils after Paulo Dybala's volley canceled out Tijjani Reijnders' opener. The 1-1 draw did little to boost either team's fortunes.

Theo Hernandez made a welcome return to the Milan lineup, donning the captain's armband after resolving his issues with coach Paulo Fonseca. Hernandez's return allowed Alex Jimenez to push forward, joining Rafael Leao in a makeshift attacking duo due to the absence of several key players, including Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Yunus Musah, Noah Okafor, and Alessandro Florenzi. Meanwhile, Roma were still without Bryan Cristante, but handed Alexis Saelemaekers a start against his parent club, following an impressive 5-0 win over Parma.

Mile Svilar, the Roma goalkeeper, was nearly caught off guard by a clever Tijjani Reijnders free-kick routine, but managed to recover in time. However, it was Roma who created the first clear-cut scoring opportunity in the 11th minute. A well-orchestrated move involving Paulo Dybala and Alexis Saelemaekers set up Artem Dovbyk, but the Ukrainian striker's powerful finish crashed against the base of the post.

AC Milan seized the initiative and took the lead as Youssouf Fofana embarked on a dynamic run from midfield. Fofana exchanged passes with Alvaro Morata before releasing the ball down the right flank to Tijjani Reijnders. With precision and power, Reijnders swept the ball first-time into the top corner with the inside of his right boot from 14 yards, giving Milan the breakthrough.

AC Milan should have doubled their lead shortly after, as they launched another counter-attack, culminating in Alex Jimenez picking out Alvaro Morata, who unfortunately fired wide of the near post. Theo Hernandez then tested the gloves of Roma goalkeeper Svilar with a powerful shot from outside the area.

However, Roma drew level with a goal of exceptional quality. Oleksandr Dovbyk showcased his skill with a clever heel flick, controlling a Niccolò Pisilli pass and setting up Paulo Dybala perfectly. Dybala then unleashed a sublime volley with his weaker right foot from just inside the box, leaving Milan's goalkeeper with no chance.

Samuel Chukwueze squandered a promising opportunity after capitalizing on an error by Angelino, but Milan's frustration grew when Tijjani Reijnders was involved in a contentious incident. Reijnders collected a Chukwueze pull-back, flicked the ball on, and then collided with Niccolò Pisilli while sliding. The referee rejected Milan's penalty appeals, prompting an irate Paulo Fonseca to be sent off for dissent.

Milan introduced Ismael Bennacer for the second half, marking his return from a serious calf strain that had sidelined him since August. Mike Maignan produced a crucial save at the near post to deny Artem Dovbyk on another swift counter-attack. The tempo of the match remained high, with Bennacer and Chukwueze both unleashing powerful shots from outside the box that forced Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to make difficult saves.

The match took another turn when Samuel Chukwueze suddenly pulled up, clutching his thigh in discomfort. He became the latest addition to Milan's lengthy injury list and was replaced by Tammy Abraham, who is owned by Roma.

Milan pushed forward in pursuit of regaining the lead, but this approach also left them vulnerable to Roma's counter-attacks. Niccolò Pisilli posed a threat on the break, while Youssouf Fofana made a crucial intervention to block Paulo Dybala's volley. The pressure continued to build, and Mike Maignan was called upon to make a spectacular save on Stephan El Shaarawy's swerving shot from the resulting corner.

In the 88th minute, Eldor Shomurodov's header from a free kick seemed destined for the back of the net, but Mike Maignan leapt to his right, fingertipping the ball onto the crossbar. However, the Roma substitute's effort was rendered moot by the linesman's raised flag, indicating that Shomurodov had strayed offside.

As the match entered its final moments, Roma continued to push for a winner. Lorenzo Pellegrini latched onto a clever slide-rule pass from Paulo Dybala, but Alex Jimenez intervened just in time, doing enough to prevent Pellegrini from getting a clean shot away. Dybala himself then unleashed a powerful blast from the edge of the area in stoppage time, but his effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.