Unforced Errors to Blame for Milan’s Draw against Fiorentina

 AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
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Unforced Errors to Blame for Milan’s Draw against Fiorentina

 AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)
AC Milan's Luka Jovic, center, reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP)

AC Milan paid the price for making some unforced errors in their 2-2 home draw against Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday, coach Sergio Conceicao said as his side continue to lose pace with the top four.

Milan conceded twice in the opening 10 minutes through a Malick Thiaw own goal and a first-time effort from Fiorentina forward Moise Kean but salvaged a point with goals from Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic.

"There are some individual errors, but not only in defense. I think the team made errors that were not forced by the opponent," Conceicao told Sky Sport.

"There are some behaviors that we are trying to improve... These are behaviors of football and football school that you learn as a kid.

"We also miss a lot of goals. We have to find this balance, because we create a lot. The approach was bad, it was not what we prepared."

Milan, who earned seven points from their last seven games, sit ninth in the table on 48 points. They are four points behind eighth-placed Fiorentina and eight off Bologna in fourth, who have a game in hand.

"We talk to each other, we prepare the games well. The lads have given me some good signs in these three days," Conceicao said.

"In the game against Inter the approach was different and for 90 minutes we were balanced.

"(There's) a set of characteristics that players must have and this mentality, personality to enter the game strong to defend this shirt must always be present."

Conceicao's side held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie on Wednesday.

With the prospects of securing Champions League football fading, they can earn a spot in the Europa League if they succeed in the domestic cup.



Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal Advances to Club World Cup Round of 16 with 2-0 Win over Pachuca

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 26: Salem Aldawsari #29 of Al Hilal celebrates his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca at GEODIS Park on June 26, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Grimm/Getty Images/AFP
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 26: Salem Aldawsari #29 of Al Hilal celebrates his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca at GEODIS Park on June 26, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Grimm/Getty Images/AFP
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Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal Advances to Club World Cup Round of 16 with 2-0 Win over Pachuca

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 26: Salem Aldawsari #29 of Al Hilal celebrates his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca at GEODIS Park on June 26, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Grimm/Getty Images/AFP
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 26: Salem Aldawsari #29 of Al Hilal celebrates his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca at GEODIS Park on June 26, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Grimm/Getty Images/AFP

Salem Aldawsari scored in the 22nd minute and Al Hilal beat Pachuca 2-0 on Thursday night to clinch a berth in the Club World Cup round of 16.

Marcus Leonardo also scored for Al Hilal, the only team outside Europe and the Americas to advance out of group play.

Al Hilal will next face English club Manchester City on Monday in Orlando, Florida.
Aldawsari, attacking from the left, scored with the ball bouncing off his right foot and soaring over the head of Pachuca goalie Sebastian Jurado to the right side of the goal.

The game drew 14,147 to Geodis Park, which has a capacity of 30,000, The Associated Press reported.

As Pachuca kept trying to keep the pace up, Leonardo scored his first goal of the tournament in the last minute of extra time, dribbling swiftly past Jurado and sending a left-footed shot in to secure Al Hilal's spot in the round of 16.

Al Hilal is the second team from Group H to move on, as Real Madrid clinched through a 3-0 victory against RB Salzburg.

Pachuca ended the tournament winless.

“Every player wants to score, my goal was ambitious, and scoring was the cherry on top,” said Aldawsari.

Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi said: "Our goal was to achieve (being in) the group of the best teams in the world.

"It was not an easy task, but the team was well united. It fought during the three games for a great objective ... we were not coming here just to have fun, we were coming here to play a World Cup and we wanted to reach this stage.

"Now we'll have to play against Manchester City ... it's one of the greatest teams in the world. These are the games where you can improve and you can mature as a team, so I'm very proud."