Teenager Donnarumma mistake helps Pescara draw 1-1 against AC Milan
Even the best players make mistakes. Teenage goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been earning plaudits and points for AC Milan - with fantastic performances this season. Not yesterday when he committed an early error to gift
Pescara the opening goal in a 1-1 draw in Serie A. Gabriel Paletta’s back pass seemed innocuous enough but it bounced over Donnarumma’s foot and into the back of the net in the 12th minute. It went down as the Milan defender’s own goal but exposed Donnarumma’s weakness with his feet. “They’re mistakes that can happen,” Milan coach Vincenzo Montella said. “He has to remain calm and serene as he showed himself to be during the match. If we had won, we would have laughed about it.” The 18-year-old ‘keeper had recovered from his error when he batted away a cross off the head of JeanCristophe Bahebeck at full stretch on the half-hour.
Milan leveled four minutes from the break. Gerard Deulofeu went on a rapid counterattack and his effort was parried by Pescara goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo. After a couple of deflections the ball fell to Mario Pasalic, who equalized with an impressive swiveling volley.
The visitors almost snatched all three points but Alessio Romagnoli’s header came off the post. Milan remained seventh, one point off Inter Milan and the last qualifying spot for the Europa League. Inter hosts Sampdoria on Monday and the two Milan teams face off in the derby on April 15. “Now we have to approach the next matches with optimism,” Montella said. “I am convinced that we will be playing for Europe right until the end.”
GENOA 0, ATALANTA 5
Third-placed Napoli hosts league leader Juventus later in Gonzalo Higuain’s return to the club since his acrimonious departure in the offseason.
Alejandro Gomez netted a hat trick as Atalanta kept up its push for a European spot with a comfortable win at 10-man Genoa. Atalanta moved fifth, two points behind Lazio and five behind Napoli.
Andrea Conti broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a stunning overhead kick into the top left corner and Gomez scored his first goal seven minutes later with a penalty after Nicolas Burdisso tripped Andrea Petagna. The floodgates opened after Genoa forward Mauricio Pinilla, who is on loan from Atalanta, was sent off on the hour for two quick bookings - the first for a tackle on visiting goalkeeper Etrit Berisha and the second for his protests. Atalanta immediately made the most of its numerical advantage as Gomez was left unmarked at the back post to tap in Jasmin Kurtic’s cross. Mattia Caldara was also unmarked when he scored Atalanta’s fourth before Gomez completed his hat trick seven minutes from time.
OTHER MATCHES
Andrea Belotti kept up his bid to finish as the league’s top goalscorer as Torino fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Udinese.
Belotti, who also had a goal ruled out for offside, netted his 23rd goal of the season on his 100th Serie A appearance, moving him level with Edin Dzeko at the top of the scoring charts. Torino hit the woodwork three times. Palermo lost 3-1 at home to Cagliari in a match which saw Han Kwang-Song become the first North Korean to play in Serie A after the 18-yearold Cagliari forward replaced Marco Sau four minutes from time. Khouma Babacar scored minutes after coming off the bench to help Fiorentina to a 1-0 win over Bologna and leave it three points behind Milan. Crotone won 2-1 at Chievo Verona to keep its faint hopes of avoiding relegation alive. It moved five points below 17thplaced Empoli and safety. — AP