AC Milan 2 Roma 1: Cutrone late show thrills San Siro

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Milan, September 1: Patrick Cutrone gave AC Milan lift-off in Serie A this season as the substitute snatched a 2-1 victory over Roma deep into stoppage time at San Siro.

Stand-out recruits Gonzalo Higuain and Steven N'Zonzi each had goals ruled out via VAR reviews for their respective sides after Roma defender Federico Fazio cancelled out Franck Kessie's 40th-minute opener.

It was a frustrating night in front of goal for Higuain but the ex-Juventus man turned provider in the 95th minute, threading a fine pass for Cutrone to slot home.

Gennaro Gattuso led raucous celebrations as his team bounced back from last weekend's chastening 3-2 loss at Napoli, while Eusebio Di Francesco's Roma are now winless since the opening weekend.

Both sides had been looking to put stuttering starts to the season behind them with Gennaro Gattuso's Milan losing 3-2 at Napoli last week despite leading by two goals. Milan's opening game against Genoa at the San Siro had been postponed because of the bridge disaster in the western port city. "There were huge regrets over the defeat to Napoli," said Gattuso.

"But it's only the second match of the season. I can't talk about a turning point after two games. I know how our lads work and that we still need to become a team in some areas." Roma counterpart Eusebio Di Francesco made several changes from the side that drew 3-3 with Atalanta in Rome last Monday, but he conceded his tactics did not work. "We lacked sharpness," said Di Francesco. "We're conceding too many goals, make too many bad choices on the field and it's something we have to work on in training."

The match was also watched by the club's former Brazilian star Kaka along with new directors Leonardo and Paolo Maldini, also former club legends. "It's only right that there is enthusiasm for those who wrote the history of Milan, but we mustn't think that the current squad should shoulder all that," said Gattuso.

"We must find our motivation by ourselves, on the training field every day. We can play good football this year, work with greater calm than last season and do good things. "The club has given me a complete squad with strength in areas we didn't have before."

Roma -- third in Serie A last season -- have just four points from three games and risk losing ground on champions Juventus and runners-up Napoli, who both have maximum six points from two games.

Source: (Opta and PTI)