AC Milan 0-2 Roma: Match report, reaction and key statistics

For the third year in a row the Giallorossi came away from the Giuseppe Meazza meeting with the Rossoneri with all three points, with Edin Dzeko and Alessandro Florenzi the heroes this time around after a hard-fought game.

Dzeko - having earlier been riled up by some perceived rough treatment from Milan defenders - broke a previously turgid affair open with a blistering long-range finish with 20 minutes remaining, before Florenzi scored his first goal after 10 months out just five minutes later to clinch the win.

After what had been an extremely tight game for the first hour, the first real chance fell to Florenzi - as he saw his shot parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma after being played in by substitute Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Moments later the Giallorossi were bailed out by their goalkeeper, Alisson, who made two brilliant saves in relatively quick succession to deny Leonardo Bonucci and Nikola Kalinic.

Then it was Dzeko who broke the game open, as he rifled home from 20 yards - and celebrated wildly.

Soon after Florenzi added the clincher - following in after Radja Nainggolan's first attempt was parried away - to confirm a memorable win for this team.

Team selection

Di Francesco opted for Alessandro Florenzi in attack, after injury ruled out both Diego Perotti and Gregoire Defrel.

That meant Bruno Peres continued at right-back, while Federico Fazio and Kevin Strootman both came back into the side after beginning on the bench against Qarabag in midweek.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

10' - Roma win a couple of corners... but neither of them come to anything.

17' - Chance for Roma! Donnarumma botches his clearance and Strootman hits a first-time shot from 35 yards - just wide!

20' - Good move from Roma. Kolarov cuts inside and feeds Florenzi, who does not quite connect with the first-time shot.

24' - Chance for the hosts. Kessie swings and misses at one, turns, then hits a half-volley wide from 20 yards...

30' - Roma forced into an early sub - Lorenzo Pellegrini replaces the injured Strootman.

33' - A mazy run from Calhanoglu ends with a shot being fired narrowly wide...

35' - Pellegrini's deep free-kick finds Dzeko at the far post, but he can't plant a shot from a tight angle on target!

39' - A good counter-attack from the hosts ends with Biglia blasting over from 25 yards out.

42' - A nice passing move sees the ball fall to Pellegrini - he glides into the box but his shot is saved by Donnarumma.

See more images in our dedicated match gallery.

SECOND HALF

50' - Decent chance for Kalinic inside the box, but he cannot make firm contact with the header...

53' - Dzeko gets booked after protesting at the referee.

58' - A deflected low cross from Rodriguez finds Andre Silva at the far post but he can't steer home.

61' - Big chance for Roma! Pellegrini plays in Florenzi brilliantly ... but the forward's shot is blocked by Donnarumma!

62' - BIG SAVE ALISSON! The goalkeeper dives to his right to deny Bonucci from inside the box!

68' - Another good save from Alisson, this time saving and holding as Kalinic wriggles free inside the box.

72' - GOAL! EDIN! There did not appear to be much on, but Dzeko wriggles free on the edge of the box and finds the corner brilliantly! Daje Roma!! 0-1!!

77' - GOAL! FLORENZI! HE'S BACK! What a moment for Ale! Radja's shot is parried away by Donnarumma, but No. 24 is there to lash home the rebound emphatically! 0-2!

80' - RED CARD! Now Milan are down to 10 men - Calhanoglu picks up a second booking!

Key match statistics

See more game statistics in our dedicated match centre.

Social media reaction

Roma reaction

"It was a great performance, mentally too – it was vital that we stayed in the game and maintained our balance. We could have done better at some points, but we did well to put our foot on the gas at the right time and then hold onto the ball."

- Eusebio Di Francesco

"This is a great win – it’s the message we wanted to send and this was the right match to prove it. AC Milan are still a great side and they will be fighting at the top until the end, but we deserved it tonight."

- Alessandro Florenzi

What's next?

The international break now stops domestic action for the next week or so - but the Giallorossi have two big games as soon as the action resumes.

On Saturday 14 October the Stadio Olimpico will host a huge clash against rivals Napoli, while just a few days later Eusebio Di Francesco's side travel to London to face Chelsea in the Champions League (October 18).

AC MILAN 0-2 ROMA

Goalscorers: Dzeko (72'), Florenzi (77')

AC Milan: Donnarumma; Musacchio, Bonucci, Romangnoli; Borini, Kessie, Biglia, Calhanoglu, Rodriguez; Kalinic, Andre Silva.

Roma: Alisson; Peres, Manolas (J. Jesus), Fazio, Kolarov; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Strootman (Pellegrini); Florenzi, El Shaarawy (Gerson), Dzeko.