Dec 16, 2013 at 7.45pm UK at ​San Siro
AC Milan
2-2
Roma
Zapata (29'), Muntari (77')
Gabriel (50'), Kaka (73'), Montolivo (73'), Balotelli (83')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Destro (13'), Strootman (51' pen.)
De Rossi (11'), Strootman (83')

Live Commentary: AC Milan 2-2 Roma - as it happened

Milan's Cristian Zapata is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's opening goal against Roma during their Serie A match on December 16, 2013
© Getty Images
Relive Sports Mole's live text commentary of AC Milan and Roma's 2-2 draw at the San Siro.

AC Milan hosted Roma in their Serie A match at the San Siro.

The visitors took the lead through Mattia Destro, but a goal from Cristian Zapata drew Milan level.

After the break, Roma regained their advantage when Kevin Strootman tucked home a penalty

The home side came from behind for a second time as Sulley Muntari fired in, to earn them a share of the spoils.

Read how the action unfolded.


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7.16pmGood evening and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Roma at the San Siro.

7.18pmTonight's game sees Serie A giants AC Milan take on unbeaten Roma. The hosts have had a poor start to the season and begin tonight in the bottom half of the table. They will be looking to become the first team to take three points away from Roma in what promises to be great game of football.

7.20pmMILAN XI: Abbiati, De Sciglio, Bonera, Zapata, Emanuelson, Muntari, De Jong, Poli, Montolivo, Kaka, Balotelli

7.21pmROMA XI: De Sanctis, Maicon, Benatia, Castan, Dodo, De Rossi, Strootman, Bradley, Ljajic, Destro, Gervinho

7.22pmMILAN SUBS: Gabriel, Coppola, Zaccardo, Mexes, Cristante, Saponara, Nocerino, Niang, Pazzini, Matri

7.23pmROMA SUBS: Lobont, Skorupski, Burdisso, Romagnoli, Jedvaj, Torosidis, Taddei, Marquinho, Ricci, Mazzitelli, Totti, Florenzi

7.25pmMilan have drawn their last two games, including their Champions League encounter with Ajax in midweek that ended goalless. They were down to 10 men from the 22nd minute, but withstood heavy pressure to make it through to the knockout stages, where they have been drawn against Atletico Madrid.

7.27pmMilan have lost more games than they have won in the league this season. They have succumbed to five defeats, while managing only four victories in Serie A.

7.29pmAfter four successive league draws, Roma got back to winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina. They are yet to taste defeat this season and will be hoping to close the gap on Juventus to three points at the end of tonight’s game.

7.32pmMilan have scored just eight goals at the San Siro this season. The only team who have scored less goals at home is bottom of the table Catania, who have found the back of the net five times in eight games.

7.35pmRoma have the best defensive record in the league, having leaked just five goals this season. It is their fantastic form at the back that has led them to second on the table, with 37 points collected so far.

7.38pmIn the attacking department, Mario Balotelli has scored the most goals out of any players in the two teams, with six league goals to his name. Roma’s goals have been spread throughout the side, but their captain Francesco Totti leads the Serie A assists charts, having laid on six goals for his teammates.

7.42pmPREDICTION: Milan haven’t been in great form this season, but haven’t lost in their last four league games. They have struggled at home and have not claimed three points at the San Siro since a win over Udinese in October. Roma have stuttered in recent games, but still have their unbeaten record to protect. This is a game that both teams will be desperate to win, but a defeat will seriously damage the aspirations of the losers and I think that it will finish in a 1-1 draw.

7.43pmMilan are celebrating their 114th birthday this evening, and the ideal present for their fans would be a victory at their home ground.

7.44pmThe players have finally made their way out onto the pitch and it won't be too long until the game gets started.

1 minKICKOFF! We are underway at the San Siro.

2 minRoma have seen plenty of the ball in the opening two minutes, and have started the more urgently of the two teams.

4 minKaka picks the ball up just inside the Roma half and works his way forward, before playing it to Balotelli, who goes down on the edge of the box. He thinks he should have a free kick, but the referee waves away his appeals.

7 minCHANCE! Gervinho shows great skill to get down the left wing, before cutting inside and curling an effort that is well held by the keeper.

7 minMilan will have a chance from a free kick, around 25 yards out from goal, after Balotelli is dragged to the floor by Benatia.

8 minBalotelli takes the free kick and fires it in low, but it is hit straight down the middle and it is easy for the keeper to save.

11 minYELLOW CARD! De Rossi picks up the first booking of the evening for a late challenge on Emanuelson.

12 minIn the past few minutes Milan have grown into the game and Kaka and Balotelli are starting to see much more of the ball.

13 minGOAL! AC Milan 0-1 Roma (Destro)

13 minRoma have taken the lead and it's a brilliantly worked team goal. Strootman is slipped down the left hand side and plays the ball across the middle for Destro to slide in and finish from close range.

16 minMilan win a free kick inside the visitors' half, and Emanuelson slips it down the line to Montolivo, who does well to win a corner.

17 minKaka takes the set piece, but it is too close to the keeper who is able to come and claim the ball.

18 minRoma break down the other end quickly and Gervinho picks up the ball on the edge of the box, before working it onto his left foot and hammering in a drive that deflects wide for a corner.

19 minStrootman's corner was well dealt with by the Milan defence and they looked to break on the counter attack, with Emanuelson bursting forward, but his attempt to play in Balotelli was blocked.

20 minKaka has his first chance of the night after a powerful run from midfield, but his strike from the edge of the box is mis-hit and trickles wide of the post.

23 minGervinho is looking lively every time he picks up the ball, and manages to get to the byline, where he pulls back a low cross into the area, but the Milan defence manage to clear, and it deflects of Destro for a goal kick.

24 minEmanuelson is slipped down the left wing by Milan, but his final delivery into the box is far too close to De Sanctis and he gathers with ease. Their final ball hasn't been great so far this evening and will need to drastically improve if they are to get back into the game.

27 minMilan's forward players just haven't been able to get into the game, and they are struggling to put together any moves that really threaten the Roma defence.

30 minGOAL! AC Milan 1-1 Roma (Zapata)

30 minMilan win a corner kick after a fine run from Emanuelson ends in De Sanctis pushing over his powerful effort. From the resulting set piece, the ball is flicked to the back post by Muntari, where Zapata is on hand to slot home from a couple of yards out.

31 minCHANCE! Roma go straight down other end and almost retake the lead! The ball is whipped into the box and Abbiati makes a mess of his punch. It falls to Bradley in the six yard box, who pokes the ball goalwards, but his effort is cleared off the line. The Roma players were appealing that it had gone in, but the replays showed that it did not go over the line.

33 minZapata slips and allows Gervinho to head towards goal, but as he looks set to shoot, the defender makes a brilliant challenge to take the ball from him.

35 minThis game is end to end now! Emanuelson's cross is palmed away by the keeper to the edge of the area where it falls to Kaka. The Brazilian attempts a first time effort, but he horribly miscues the ball and it flies wide of the goal.

39 minRoma enjoy a strong spell of possession inside the Milan half, and the ball is eventually played in to Dodo, but his strike is hit high over the bar.

41 minCastan goes down after a foul by Kaka and the medical staff are on to give him treatment, but he is okay to continue and is back on the pitch.

43 minRoma may have to make a change, as Castan has gone down again. Things don't look good for him and it looks like he is heading off.

45 minSUBSTITUTION: Roma make the change and Burdisso comes on for Castan.

45 minWe are going to have two minutes of time added on at the end of the half.

45+2 minHALF-TIME: AC Milan 1-1 Roma

8.36pmAt the break it is level in Milan. The visitors were good value for their lead, but the home side responded well and will be positive about their chances in the second half.

8.40pmThe statistics show that Roma have enjoyed a large amount of possession, having seen 61% of the ball in the first 45 minutes. They have had more strikes on goal than Milan, with six attempts to the home team's four efforts.

8.44pmMassimiliano Allegri will be disappointed at the lack of attacking threat his team have posed throughout much of the game. Their forwards have been sloppy in decent areas and we haven't seen much from Balotelli as yet.

46 minMilan kick off and get the second half underway.

46 minSUBSTITUTION: The home side have made a change to their goalkeeper at half time, with Abbiati being replaced by Gabriel.

50 minPENALTY AND YELLOW CARD! Roma have a penalty! Gervinho is slipped into the box and the keeper rushes off his line and drags him down. He receives a booking and Roma have the chance to retake the lead.

51 minGOAL! AC Milan 1-2 Roma (Strootman)

51 minStrootman steps up to take the kick, and slots it into the bottom right hand corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.

54 minMilan look to respond quickly and Montolivo picks up the ball just outside the box, but his attempted volley is struck high over the bar.

56 minThe home side feel that they should have a penalty of their own when Balotelli goes down in a tussle with Benatia, but the referee felt that it was the striker who was committing the foul and Roma get the free kick.

59 minMilan have seen more of the ball but are still struggling to force any shots on the Roma goal. Their passing has improved and Kaka is getting much more involved in the game.

64 minSUBSTITUTION: Roma make a change, and it's the captain Totti coming on for Destro.

66 minSUBSTITUTION: Milan make a change of their own, with Marti coming on for Poli.

68 minKaka is nearly picked out with a long ball into the box, but Dodo does well to head the ball clear. It falls to Balotelli on the edge of the area, but he scuffs his effort and it rolls wide.

69 minCHANCE! Roma work some space on the right for Maicon, and he picks out Bradley in the middle with an inch perfect cross, but the midfielder puts his header wide.

70 minBalotelli picks up the ball in midfield and drives towards goal, before attempting a strike from 25 yards out, but his low drive lacks direction and heads wide of the post.

73 minYELLOW CARD! Kaka is the latest player to be booked for Milan.

73 minYELLOW CARD! Montolivo also receives a booking for arguing with the referee.

77 minGOAL! AC Milan 2-2 Roma (Muntari)

77 minMilan have come from behind for the second time! The ball is played into Balotelli on the edge of the area and he does brilliantly to hold onto it, before laying it off for the arriving Muntari to smash a low strike past De Sanctis.

80 minThat goal has really boosted the crowd here and they are throwing their support behind the team.

81 minSUBSTITUTION: Roma make a change, with Ljajic going off and Florenzi coming on in his place.

82 minMilan are camped inside the Roma half and look the side more likely to score a third.

83 minYELLOW CARD! Strootman and Balotelli are both booked by the referee.

84 minDe Sciglio shows great skill to get to the byline and drill a low ball in that the Roma defence manage to clear. They only manage to get it out to the edge of the box, and Benatia gives away a foul in a dangerous position.

85 minCHANCE! Balotelli takes the free kick and hammers a low strike at goal, but it is hit straight at De Sanctis, who gets down well to beat it away.

88 minMilan keeper Gabriel comes flying off his line to punch clear a cross, but his fists connect with Emanuelson, who is now laying flat out on the floor.

89 minSUBSTITUTION: Emanuelson has to be stretchered off and Zaccardo comes on.

90 minThere is going to be four minutes of stoppage time at the end of the game.

90+1 minRoma are piling on the pressure in the closing stages, and Maicon drills in a low cross that Milan put behind for a corner.

90+2 minThe corner is cleared to Gervinho at the far post, but his return ball into the middle is poor and easy for the keeper to claim.

90+2 minCHANCE! Balotelli should have won it for Milan! The home team break quickly and he is found inside the area. He cuts inside onto his left foot, and drills in a low strike, but he puts it the wrong side of the post.

90+4 minCHANCE! Gervinho comes close to winning it for Roma, as he picks up the ball on the edge of the box, before firing a shot wide.

90+4 minFULL-TIME: AC Milan 2-2 Roma

9.42pmAfter a frantic finale at the San Siro, the game has finished level between AC Milan and Roma. The home side were much improved in the second half and had plenty of chances to win it late on, but will be happy to have twice come from behind.

9.45pmRoma will feel that they should have protected their lead better, but will be glad to keep their unbeaten run going. They would have wanted to be closer to league leaders Juventus, but have cut the gap tonight to five points.

9.48pmThat's all we've got time for here after an exciting evening. Please stay with us at Sports Mole for all of the latest news. Goodnight!

Francesco Totti of AS Roma looks during the pre-season friendly match between AS Roma and Bursaspor Kulubu on July 21, 2013
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7SassuoloSassuolo30111273733445
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17CarpiCarpi30610142846-1828
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