Serie A: AC Milan Snatch Victory with Stoppage-Time Goal

AC Milan staged a stunning late comeback to defeat Parma 3-2, with Samuel Chukwueze scoring the winner in stoppage time. The Rossoneri trailed for most of the match but secured a dramatic victory to boost their European hopes.

AC Milan staged a dramatic late comeback to snatch a win against Parma in Serie A, denying the hosts a major upset. Parma had come agonizingly close to securing a shock result, only to be thwarted by two stoppage-time strikes from Milan. This victory marked the fifth win in seven games for Milan under their new manager, Sérgio Conceição.

The opening quarter of the match was uneventful, with little action in front of goal, hinting at a long and dull afternoon for neutral fans. However, the game sprang to life almost immediately after the 25-minute mark, as Parma sparked a thrilling sequence of events. Matteo Cancellieri was given too much space and time as he drove towards the goal, and he took full advantage by stepping inside and curling a magnificent effort into the bottom corner.

The goal seemed to serve as a wake-up call for Milan, as they responded by having the ball in the net moments later through Álvaro Morata. However, the Spanish striker had strayed offside, and the goal was disallowed. This near-miss seemed to galvanize Milan, setting the stage for their dramatic late comeback.

Milan was handed a golden opportunity to equalize 10 minutes before halftime, courtesy of a penalty awarded for a peculiar incident. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was deemed to have pushed Strahinja Pavlović over in the area, and Christian Pulisic capitalized on the chance, converting the penalty with clinical precision.

HUGE COMEBACK WIN! 🙌#MilanParma pic.twitter.com/WcPgJ8CN8h

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 26, 2025

Despite the equalizer, Milan manager Sérgio Conceição made a bold double substitution at halftime, which sparked controversy among the fans. Rafael Leão was one of the players withdrawn, and the changes did not seem to have an immediate impact on Milan's performance levels. Parma continued to push for a winning goal, and they were unlucky not to take the lead for a second time when Hernani's 35-yard drive narrowly missed the target.

As the match progressed, it was Parma who continued to dominate, defying their status as underdogs. They came close to regaining the lead 20 minutes from time, with Pontus Almqvist racing through on goal, only to be denied by the on-rushing Mike Maignan. This temporary reprieve for Milan was short-lived, as Maignan was again called upon to make a heroic save, this time denying Drissa Camara. However, he was powerless to prevent Enrico Del Prato from prodding home the rebound, which seemed to have sealed the win for Parma.

⚽ 90+2' Reijnders 2-2
⚽ 90+5' Chukwueze 3-2

WHAT. A. GAME. 🍿#MilanParma pic.twitter.com/XYibGW052V

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 26, 2025

AC Milan refused to give up, and they thought they had secured a late equalizer when Strahinja Pavlović headed home what appeared to be a leveller at the back post. However, VAR intervened, confirming that Pavlović had strayed offside before scoring, and the goal was disallowed.

Undeterred, Milan continued to push forward, throwing everything at Parma in the closing stages. Their persistence finally paid off in the second minute of stoppage time, when Tijjani Reijnders ghosted into the area to turn home the equalizing goal, setting up a thrilling finale.

In a stunning twist, Milan managed to snatch all three points with almost the last kick of the game. Samuel Chukwueze, one of Sérgio Conceição's earlier substitutes, popped up in the area to turn home Pavlović's knockdown, securing a dramatic victory that propels Milan forward in their battle to close the gap on the European places.