Milan end winless run in triumph over Torino

• AC Milan played host to Torino in the Serie A at the San Siro in a Friday night action
• Milan headed into the match winless in five consecutive Serie A matches and sitting third in the Serie A standings
• Olivier Giroud scored the lone goal in the match to end Milan’s winless run 

Milan’s five-game losing record in Serie A was broken by Olivier Giroud’s outstanding header, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic had to wait until the 1-0 triumph over Torino to make his comeback.

Despite losing their previous four games overall into Friday’s meeting at San Siro, Milan, who were playing their 3,000th Serie A game, came away with the victory because of Giroud’s outstanding performance.

After setting up that goal, Theo Hernandez squandered an excellent opportunity to extend Milan’s lead.

The only regret for the home crowd was that veteran attacker Ibrahimovic, who had returned from injury, did not enter the game as a substitute for the first time since May last year. Nevertheless, the champions held firm to get back on the winning track.

The first half in Milan unfolded more like a warm-up support show before the headline event with Ibrahimovic poised on the bench.

The two shots that found the back of the net in the low-intensity first half came from Giroud and Antonio Sanabria, with the Milan strikers’ header being stopped by the away goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the 29th minute.

After the break, Stefano Pioli’s team played better as a result of his decision to hold off on bringing on Ibrahimovic. Milinkovic-Savic nearly spilt Giroud’s low attempt over the goal line.

But soon after the hour mark, Giroud headed in a cross from Hernandez to give Milan the lead.

AC Milan players celebrate after Olivier Giroud scored the winner against Torino in the Serie A clash at San Siro on Friday, February 10 2023. | PHOTO: AC Milan Football Club |

After latching onto Pierre Kalulu’s superb pass in the 76th minute, Hernandez should have calmed Milan’s concerns, but instead, he shot wide of an open goal.

Fortunately for Hernandez, Milan’s home winning streak over the Rossoneri now stands at 27 Serie A games. Torino was unable to get revenge on Milan.

Milan marks the 3,000 milestone in Serie A

After a particularly unimpressive first half, there were doubts as to whether the hosts, who had become the fourth team to reach the milestone after Juventus, Roma, and city rivals Inter, could do so with a victory.

But they got the job done with a better second-half display. Their record in the 3,000 Serie A game stands at 1,458 wins, 837 draws and 663 defeats.

AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring the winner against Torino in the Serie A on Friday. | PHOTO: CGTN |

Ibrahimovic made to wait for his comeback

Ibrahimovic’s long-awaited comeback to competitive play was anticipated by Milan supporters, who would have liked to have seen the 41-year-old back on the field.

His absence from the starting lineup in a game where the team oddly wore its olive-green third uniform implies Pioli isn’t taking any chances. However, considering that they are back to winning, maybe they should stick with it.