AC Milan gets timely boost with Fonseca’s first win ahead of crucial week

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MILAN (AP) — New AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca got his first Serie A win in style. It couldn’t have come at a better time for the Rossoneri.

A devastating opening half an hour set Milan on its way to a convincing 4-0 win over promoted Venezia on Saturday for its first victory of the season after two draws and a loss.

The result and the manner of the victory are a timely confidence boost ahead of a crucial week. Fonseca’s team hosts Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday followed by a Serie A derby match against defending champion Inter Milan.

Also, Bologna remained winless but came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against Como.

Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.

Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez were benched for Milan’s last match but were back in the starting lineup and the pair combined to score the opener after just 90 seconds.

Hernandez won the ball in midfield and played it to Leao who gave it back to him with a delicious backheeled flick on the half turn. That sent the France international down the left and he squeezed his shot past Jesse Joronen at the near post.

Milan doubled its lead in the 16th minute when Youssouf Fofana headed in a Christian Pulisic corner, and the United States international got on the scoresheet himself in the 25th by converting a penalty after Tammy Abraham was tripped by Joronen.

The Rossoneri were awarded another penalty less than three minutes later after the video assistant referee spotted Venezia defender Joël Schingtienn trodding on Leao’s foot.

This time Abraham stepped up to net his first goal for Milan since joining from Roma last month.

It was the first time Milan scored four times in the first half hour of a Serie A match since 1958.

Francesco Zampano thought he pulled one back for Venezia but it was ruled out and Venezia midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek and sent off.

Debutants

Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years.

Bologna, which hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, has just three points from its opening four matches. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.

Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.

Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.

Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.

Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.

Unbeaten sides

Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.

Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.

On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.

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Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.

The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.

Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer