AC Milan 2-4 Bologna: Mbangula hat-trick ends Amorim's unbeaten Serie A start
Samuel Mbangula scored three times as Bologna came from 2-1 down to win at San Siro, handing Ruben Amorim his first Serie A defeat as Milan coach.
EZCO Editorial··Reading time: 2 min
Bologna turned a half-time deficit into a statement win at San Siro on Wednesday evening. Samuel Mbangula scored a hat-trick as Raffaele Palladino's side beat AC Milan 4-2 on matchday 9 of Serie A, inflicting Milan's first league defeat of the season and the first for Ruben Amorim since he took charge.
Cissè's double was not enough
The game opened at a furious pace. Mbangula needed only eight minutes to finish a cut-back from Nadir Zortea, but Milan answered quickly. Alphadjo Cissè pounced in the 14th minute after Omari Hutchinson had robbed Arthur Theate, and the 20-year-old struck again on 27 minutes when a Fikayo Tomori ball across goal reached him at close range. Milan went in 2-1 up at the break.
Two goals in two minutes
The match swung on Palladino's changes. Shortly after the hour he sent on three substitutes, among them Juan Miranda – and the left-back changed the night almost immediately. His free kick in the 60th minute was turned into his own net by Davide Bartesaghi for 2-2. Two minutes later Miranda broke down the left and cut the ball back for Mbangula to make it 3-2.
Milan pushed for a reply. Francesco Camarda came within inches with a header, but Bologna stayed dangerous on the break. In the 86th minute Jens Odgaard crossed from the right and Mbangula completed his hat-trick. According to data cited by beIN Sports, he is only the second player to score a Serie A hat-trick away at Milan, after Gabriel Batistuta in 1998.
| Minute | Goal | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 8' | Samuel Mbangula | Bologna |
| 14' | Alphadjo Cissè | AC Milan |
| 27' | Alphadjo Cissè | AC Milan |
| 60' | Davide Bartesaghi (own goal) | Bologna |
| 62' | Samuel Mbangula | Bologna |
| 86' | Samuel Mbangula | Bologna |
What it means for the table
Milan stay fifth on 18 points from nine matches. Inter won 2-0 at Venezia earlier in the evening and are level with Lazio on 25 points – seven clear of their city rivals. Bologna have now won their last three away league games.
| Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Lazio | 9 | 25 |
| Inter | 9 | 25 |
| Roma | 9 | 21 |
| Como | 9 | 20 |
| AC Milan | 9 | 18 |
Top five after the Wednesday games, based on EZCO match data.
Our take
This was less a Milan collapse than a coaching duel won from the bench. Milan had more of the ball, yet Palladino's hour-mark changes gave Bologna width and pace that Milan's makeshift back line could not handle. For Amorim the timing is awkward: his squad is stretched by injuries, the gap to the top is now seven points, and the next game is the Derby della Madonnina against Inter this weekend. A second defeat there would turn a promising start into a chase. Bologna, meanwhile, look like a side that travels well again.
Follow the full match report, the Serie A table and the derby live on EZCO.
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