AC Milan also achieved a disappointing result in the second round of Serie A. They lost away to Parma. The same happened to Lazio, who were defeated by ten-man Udinese.
Deep into injury time last week, Noah Okafor prevented Milan from losing at home during the first round by scoring a crucial goal that salvaged a point for the Rossoneri.
However, the dropped points were still a significant disappointment for Milan, who had high hopes for a strong start to the season. This early setback increased the pressure on Paulo Fonseca's team as they traveled to Parma, hoping to secure their first win.
Unfortunately for Milan, their visit to Parma got off to a disastrous start. Within just 82 seconds of kickoff, Parma took the lead. Emanuele Valeri delivered an excellent cross into the box, where Dennis Man was perfectly positioned at the far post to slot the ball home. This early goal shocked Milan and set the tone for a difficult match. Milan struggled to find their rhythm and break down Parma’s organized defense throughout the first half.
In the second half, Milan looked more determined and came close to leveling the score early on. Tijjani Reijnders nearly equalized for Milan with a powerful shot, but the midfielder's effort cannoned off the crossbar, denying them a much-needed goal. Despite this missed opportunity, Milan continued to push forward, and their persistence paid off in the 66th minute. Rafael Leão delivered a well-timed pass to Christian Pulisic, who managed to find the back of the net, leveling the score and giving Milan a lifeline.
With the score now tied at 1-1, coach Paulo Fonseca decided to introduce two of Milan's summer signings, Youssouf Fofana and Emerson Royal, hoping their fresh legs would provide a spark and help secure a victory. However, this tactical decision did not have the desired effect. Just ten minutes after their introduction, Milan found themselves trailing once again. In the 77th minute, Parma regained the lead through Matteo Cancellieri, who capitalized on a defensive lapse by Milan to make it 2-1. Despite Milan’s best efforts in the remaining minutes, they were unable to find another equalizer. The match ended in a 2-1 defeat for Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini, leaving them with just one point from their first two matches, while Parma sits comfortably with four points.
Meanwhile, Lazio had a more positive start to the season, opening with a 3-1 victory over newly promoted Venezia, showing their intent to compete strongly this year. However, their second match against Udinese proved more challenging. Udinese, who had earned a respectable draw away at Bologna in their opening game, were keen to make a statement in front of their home fans at Stadio Friuli.
The match got off to a thrilling start for the home crowd, who were able to cheer after just five minutes. Former Ajax player Lorenzo Lucca opened the scoring for Udinese, finishing off a well-crafted move that began with an assist from Florian Thauvin. This early goal gave Udinese the momentum and put Lazio on the back foot.
The second half began with another blow to Lazio’s hopes of a comeback. Just four minutes after the restart, Thauvin doubled Udinese’s lead with a well-taken goal, seemingly putting the match out of reach for Lazio. Despite being two goals down, Lazio continued to fight. Their fortunes seemed to change when Udinese’s Hassane Kamara was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, reducing the home side to ten men in the 66th minute. Lazio saw this as an opportunity to push for a comeback and put Udinese under pressure.
Even with a man down, Udinese showed great resilience and managed to hold on to their lead. Lazio eventually found the back of the net through Gustav Isaksen, who scored a late consolation goal, but it was too little, too late. Udinese’s defense stood firm in the final minutes, ensuring they secured all three points. With this victory, Udinese now have four points from their first two matches, demonstrating a strong start to the season. Lazio, on the other hand, are left to reflect on what could have been, remaining on three points as they look to bounce back in their next match.
