Milan stay strong in the Coppa Italia. A 3-1 win against Roma sealed for Sérgio Conceição's men a place in the semis against whoever wins between Inter Milan and Lazio. There was a display of dominance throughout the first half, a pinch of pressure early in the second half, and a precise reply at the finish.
More than the score, the match portrayed a confident, organized, and efficient Milan, able to manage the pace of the match and react when it needed to. Tammy Abraham shined, Theo Hernández showed his importance, and João Félix needed just a few minutes to leave his mark.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
With an unbeaten home run that borders on the impressive, the increasingly refined tactical system, Diavolo moves closer to a title that has not come its way since 2003.
Dominance and efficiency in finishing
Milan got onto the pitch with a clear intention to impose its game, right from the very first whistle. Rossoneri came out without a second thought of taking possession, jolting Roma back, by aggressive pressing, and accelerated whenever necessary-the right moments-paid off very early in the match.
At 16 minutes, Theo Hernández appeared as the playmaker and gave the ball on a plate to Tammy Abraham, who headed solidly open the score. The visitors tried to react but did not succeed in piercing the well-set defense and were hot on the heels with regard to quick passes. Milan, without losing rhythm, at 42 minutes scored the second goal in an identical play: again, the assist was due to Theo Hernández, while again Abraham found the net.
At halftime, this was the scenario: Milan in front, Roma needing something new to react.
Roma tries to response, but Milan seals the game
The visitors returned for the second half with changes that might turn the game around. The coach made changes in the attack and reinforced the midfield seeking more offensive presence. And the gamble paid off — at least for a few minutes.
The striker took advantage of the cross into the area at 54’ and finished close in to bring Roma back into the game. Until then, fully in control, Milan now had to start defending with its back against the wall to see out the reaction.
But if that could have changed the game's destiny, João Félix himself put an end to any Roman dream in rapid time. Substituted into the action, the Portuguese required only a handful of minutes of presence on the pitch to be noticed. In the 72’, he received the ball at the edge of the box and, with precision, sealed the result of 3-1 in favor of Atletico de Madrid.
Roma tried to set up their attacks once more in the last moments of the game, but Milan closed up the space and managed the advantage to the final whistle.
Individual highlights and impressive numbers
It wasn't an accident. Milan managed to express themselves very well with their important players and had Militari shined everywhere on the field.
Theo Hernández: The playmaker from the defense
The French left-back once again proved why he is one of Milan's most decisive players. With two assists for Tammy Abraham, Theo reached nine direct goal involvements this season, matching Denzel Dumfries and Nuno Tavares as the most productive defenders in Serie A.
And that's not all — he also became the only defender in Serie A this season to have at least four goals and four assists across all competitions.
João Félix: Immediate impact
Coming into a high-stakes game and scoring right away is not for everyone. But João Félix made it look easy. His goal secured Milan's qualification and gave the Portuguese forward a promising start with the Rossoneri.
Curiously enough, he joined an exclusive list: before him and Santiago Giménez, the last players to score on their Milan debuts were Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders, in August 2023.
Milan extend unbeaten run at home
The win also extended Milan's unbeaten home run, now at 11 straight matches without defeat. The last time the team went so long at home without defeat was in 2012/13, under Massimiliano Allegri.
The home advantage could make all the difference in the final stretch of the season and especially in games that are as important as the Coppa Italia semifinals.