Alexandre Pato, Mirko Vucinic Bag Doubles As Roma Hold AC Milan

Alexandre Pato and Mirko Vucinic each bagged a brace as Roma came back to tie AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome Sunday night. David Beckham was surprisingly handed a starting shirt on his much anticipated Serie A debut while Roma talisman Francesco Totti watched his team mates from the stands.

The game took off on a somewhat slow note as both team gathered possession while seizing each other up. The home side’s John Arne Riise had the first chance on goal when his low drive from outside the penalty box was smothered by Abbiati in the Milan goal. Minutes later Clarence Seedorf saw his long range effort go high over the crossbar.

Twenty minutes into the game, Roma were taking up more possession as Milan’s grip on the match slowly loosened. Vucinic received Riise’s deep cross from the left and turned away both Maldini and Jankulovski before he put Roma one up to the approval of the Giallorossi fans.

Milan immediately started to press forward in their search for an equalizer and enjoyed large spells of possessions, but with the opposing team’s excellent defense skills, the Rossoneri players had problems leaving their half of the pitch. Neither of the teams managed to create anything of significance during the remainder of an otherwise subtle first half.

The restart set the pace for the rest of the game as Milan’s leveled the score just three minutes into second half. Ricardo Kaká sped up on the left hand side up to the Roma byline where his low cross was tapped in with ease by fellow Brazilian Alexandre Pato.

Five minutes later Pato gave Milan the lead with a solo effort. The forward sprinted lightning fast towards the goal and past Mexés who was left eating dust to chip the ball into the inside netting of the goal behind Doni. The finishing was sublime from the young starlet who also bagged a brace against Udinese right before the Christmas break. In the previous minute Ronaldinho had volleyed over a Beckham corner.

The tables turn quickly in football and it was now Roma who were left frenetically searching for an equalizer. Julio Baptista tried out the Milan defense in the 72nd minute, but the deflected ball fell to Vucinic whose diving header held Abbiati rooted to the spot and put Roma back in the game.

In the following minutes Milan had a golden opportunity to grab all three points but Seedorf’s headed over from close range. Roma once again began building up pressure as both Spalletti and Ancelotti made substitutions.

Ancelotti put on Flamini instead of Beckham three minutes from the end as Alberto Aquilani’s 30-yard screamer slammed the advertising boards when it whistled off the near post. After three additional minutes the referee blew the whistle and everybody except the parties involved will be happy with the result this evening.

Roma – Milan 2-2
1-0, (22) Vucinic, 1-1, (49) Pato, 1-2, (53) Pato, 2-2, (72) Vucinic

Roma: Doni; Cassetti (Cicinho 81), Mexes, Juan, Riise; De Rossi, Brighi (Aquilani 83), Taddei (Pizarro 64); Perrotta, Baptista; Vucinic

Milan: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Favalli, Maldini, Jankulovski; Beckham (Flamini 89), Pirlo, Seedorf; Kaka, Ronaldinho (Ambrosini 70); Pato