Verona vs. AC Milan: Winners and Losers from Serie a Match

This is turning into quite the season of redemption for Keisuke Honda. He scored twice for AC Milan in a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona, and he joined Carlos Tevez as the scoring leader in Italy.

The 28-year-old could be mistaken for a striker, considering the way he is finishing his chances. Both goals came off breakaways, and both times Honda cooly curled the ball past the goalkeeper.

The two Rafaels in defence for Hellas, Marques and Marquez, could not close the gaps, and Marquez was foolish to get a red card right in the last minute of stoppage time. They lacked the discipline to keep Milan from doing the one thing they do well: scoring.

Milan themselves could have lost the game if not for the steady hands of Christian Abbiati, who is keeping Diego Lopez on the bench. But they did concede late in the game, and it was no coincidence that Daniele Bonera, the curse of this team, had come on 30 seconds earlier.

Here is a closer look at Sunday's winners and losers.

Winner: Christian Abbiati

Mario Carlini / Iguana Press/Getty Images

Abbiati made seven crucial saves against Hellas Verona, per WhoScored.com, and the lot of them were spectacular. 

This is a 37-year-old who contemplated retiring at the end of last season but instead he signed a contract extension with Milan. Then Diego Lopez arrived from Madrid, and Abbiati was no longer guaranteed playing time.

He may just get a little more.

Abbiati has had a reputation of letting in a few howlers, but he is still capable of making game-saving plays.

"

Abbiati fully justifying his selection this afternoon. https://t.co/o0HrZxSnOr

— Danny (@RossoneriBear) October 19, 2014"

Luca Toni in particular was frustrated. He attempted a scissor kick, only to see Abbiati punch it away. Forget retirement: Abbiati played like a true captain on this day, and he may just give Lopez some competition. 

Loser: Rafael Marques

It was a fantastic strike. Except Rafael Marques directed it on his own goal. 

Plenty of own goals were scored across Europe this weekend, but this was one of the best: the power and the accuracy, just perfect.

Ignazio Abate was the one who sent in the difficult cross. He didn't get the assist, but the play was further proof that Abate is having the greatest season of his life. His passes are smart and accurate, his runs quick, and he already has four assists this season. He is looking a lot like Cafu on that right flank.

Winner: Keisuke Honda

Mario Carlini / Iguana Press/Getty Images

There is at least one player who shows up two hours early for practice, and that's Keisuke Honda. It's something coach Pippo Inzaghi appreciates. Maybe because Inzaghi himself, for all the luck he appeared to have, worked hard to put himself in a position to score all those goals.

Now Honda is doing the same thing.

The previous season, Honda looked slow and out of touch. But he needed time to adjust, and he is showing great versatility this season, leading the attack while playing off the right wing with six goals and two assists in seven games. 

"

Keisuke Honda has now been directly involved in 50% of Milan's goals this season: 8 out of 16 (6 goals and 2 assists). #ForzaHonda

— AC Milan News (@Milanello) October 19, 2014"

Stephan El Shaarawy helped him out. The Pharaoh returned to the lineup after sitting on the bench the past three games, and he duly supplied a long pass to Honda that split the Verona defence for the first goal. 

Loser: Rafael Marquez

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Oh, Rafa Marquez. Another booking for him. 

The 35-year-old made the shock move to Verona in the offseason. This is first season in Italy, and this is his first red card in the peninsula. He was booked twice, but the second yellow card came late in the game, when it was totally unnecessary. 

Apparently, a Marquez-Marques centre-back partnership can't be trusted.