AC Milan tough times ahead

AC Milan tough times ahead

AC Milan's disappointing start to the Serie A season continued as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Livorno.

The Rossoneri looked bereft of ideas as they failed to make amends for their 4-0 defeat to Inter Milan a fortnight ago with a lacklustre display in Tuscany.

The home side had the better of the first half and peppered Marco Storari's goal with shots. Milan improved when Andrea Pirlo came on early in the second half and he came the closest to breaking the deadlock with his free-kick hitting the woodwork.

But the draw was a fair result as Milan moved to just four points from their first three games while Livorno picked up the second point of their return to the top flight.

Milan were wounded after their heavy derby defeat to Inter a fortnight ago, but Livorno did not seem to want to show any mercy early on.

They showed a lot of confidence and pegged the Rossoneri back in their own half with Cristian Raimondi cutting in past Marek Jankulovski to test Storari in the sixth minute with the Milan goalkeeper tipping his shot over the crossbar.

Cristiano Lucarelli had the next chance for Livorno with a free header from just six yards out which he sent wide of the post when he really should have tested Storari.

Lucarelli was getting the better of Alessandro Nesta every time the ball was aimed at the Livorno striker as the home side looked for an opener.

Antonio Candreva's 25-yard free-kick was punched away by Storari who chose the same course of action rather than catching the Livorno midfielder's next powerful shot moments later.

Milan's one and only chance of the first half fell to Pato in the 37th minute, but Alfonso De Lucia made a good save to deny the Brazilian striker low down to his right.

Lucarelli chose the wrong option when he broke through in the 50th minute as another chance went begging for the home side.

He pulled the ball back to the edge of the penalty area rather than squaring it to Francesco Tavano, who was in space on the edge of the six-yard box, and the eventual recipient Davide Moro hit a tame effort wide.

Milan coach Leonardo finally reacted and sent Pirlo and Filippo Inzaghi on for the ineffective Ronaldinho and Jan Klaas Huntelaar, and the move almost paid immediate dividends.

Pirlo, who had been left on the bench for a rest after playing twice for Italy over the last seven days, showed his prowess from set pieces as he curled a 25-yard effort onto the crossbar with his first touch of the game.

Inzaghi then burst through, but he was unable to lift his shot enough over De Lucia, who diverted the ball over the crossbar.

Pato showed his frustration at his lack of chances, kicking the ground before finally receiving the ball on the volley, but he sent the ball high over De Lucia's goal to sum up his day.

At the other end, Tavano had a good claim for a penalty waved away when he was muscled out by Thiago Silva with eight minutes remaining.