AC Milan 2 : 1 US Sassuolo Calcio - AC Milan Milan fall short in European bid
Posted Monday, May 19, 2014 by PA
AC Milan missed out on a Europa League qualifying place despite seeing off Sassuolo on the final day of the Serie A season.
Clarence Seedorf's side had to win at home to have any chance, but also needed both Torino and Parma to fail to collect three points from their respective games.
Parma ended Milan's hopes with a 2-0 win over Livorno to take sixth spot, leaving Milan to finish two places and one point behind them.
Sulley Muntari had put Milan in front after two minutes and Nigel De Jong made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark.
The Rossoneri were forced to play down to 10 men from the 66th minute after Philippe Mexes was sent off for a second booking.
Sassuolo defender Paolo Cannavaro was shown a straight red with four minutes from time after a harsh foul on Milan substitute Stephan El Shaarawy.
Sassuolo's Simone Zaza made it 2-1 from the penalty spot with seconds remaining after Mattia De Sciglio had brought down Nicola Sansone in the area.
De Sciglio was handed his marching orders for that foul, leaving Milan to finish the game with nine men.
Sassuolo, who had gained promotion to Serie A last summer, travelled to the San Siro in celebratory mood having secured their top-flight status last weekend.
But it was the hosts who took an early lead when Muntari drilled a 30-yard shot towards the top-left corner of goal, out of Alberto Pomini's reach.
Milan continued to push forward and doubled their advantage in the 27th minute when De Jong's free-kick took a deflection off the wall to beat Pomini.
Before the interval, Zaza wasted a good chance to put his team back in the game when he headed Pedro Mendes' cross high and wide from a good position.
Sassuolo picked up where they left off after the re-start and on the hour mark Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati was forced to stretch to clear Cannavaro's powerful header from Domenico Berardi's cross.
At the other end, Pomini denied Milan's third of the evening when he kept out Pazzini's 12-yard effort.
Sassuolo, who beat Milan 4-3 earlier this season, pressed forward more aggressively after Mexes' sending-off.
They pulled one back when Zaza cooly struck his spot-kick towards the bottom-left corner of goal to beat Abbiati.
However, the visitors ran out of time as Milan held on for their 16th victory of the campaign.
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