Fiorentina came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw against Milan in
Serie A.
The Slovenian provided the touch of class that Fiorentina had
been lacking by sending a second-half drive beyond home
goalkeeper Christian Abbiati at San Siro on Sunday.
Before that, there had been few signs that the visitors could find
their way back into the game after Milan had taken a 25th-
minute lead through Nigel de Jong's close-range header.
It was a game of few chances, with Jeremy Menez passing up a
good opportunity earlier in the second half, while Juan
Cuadrado and Matias Fernandez fired warning shots to Milan
just before Ilicic's equaliser.
Stephan El Shaarawy could have put Milan back in front almost
instantly but lashed wide when well placed.
Milan are now unbeaten in five Serie A games, but the result
continues their recent poor form against Fiorentina at San Siro,
where they have not tasted victory since 2010.
Filippo Inzaghi made three alterations from a 3-1 win at Verona
last time out, drafting in De Jong after suspension, while Menez
was preferred up front to Fernando Torres.
His opposite number Vincenzo Montella made wholesale
changes from the UEFA Europa League win at PAOK on
Thursday, with Cuadrado among those recalled.
Milan started the match in the ascendency, and Menez had a
chance to test Neto after two minutes but his speculative effort
was too high.
A scrappy opening was almost brought to life after 22 minutes
as El Shaarawy's wonderful turn and shot forced a remarkable
save from Neto, but the linesman's offside flag had already been
raised.
It did not matter though, as Milan took the lead four minutes
later when Cristian Zapata headed a corner into the danger area
and De Jong was on hand to nod home his second of the season
from six yards.
The visitors put in a disappointing first-half showing, and the
closest they came to finding the net was through a Jasmin Kurtic
long-range drive after 33 minutes that sailed wide.
Milan ought to have doubled the lead seven minutes into the
second half as Menez broke forward, but the Frenchman turned
onto his left foot and shot straight at Neto when he had team-
mates available in better positions.
Montella's men finally showed signs of life before the hour, with
Cuadrado taking a left-footed shot on the bounce from 30
yards, which forced Abbiati into a save to his right, and
Fernandez blasted just over soon after.
But Fiorentina's persistence paid off as they equalised after 64
minutes through substitute Ilicic, who took aim from 25 yards
out to fire a precise low drive into the bottom-right corner and
beyond the despairing dive of Abbiati.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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