August 24, (THEWILL) — Federico Bonazzoli delivered a moment of pure theatre at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday evening, his spectacular overhead kick earning Cremonese a memorable 2-1 victory over AC Milan in their first Serie A fixture since returning to the top flight.
The striker’s acrobatic finish in the 63rd minute completed a remarkable comeback for the visitors, who had fallen behind early in the second half before demonstrating the determination that earned their promotion back to Italy’s premier division.
Milan appeared destined to claim an opening-day victory when Santiago Gimenez thought he had given the hosts the lead in the 20th minute, only for VAR to correctly identify an offside position that nullified his well-taken finish from Luka Modric’s incisive through ball.
The Rossoneri’s frustration deepened eight minutes later when Federico Baschirotto rose magnificently to meet Alessio Zerbin’s cross, powering his header beyond Mike Maignan to silence the home crowd and give Cremonese an unlikely advantage.
Strahinja Pavlovic restored equilibrium for Milan deep into first-half stoppage time, the Serbian defender timing his run perfectly to meet Pervis Estupinan’s precise delivery with a thunderous header that left Emil Audero with no chance.
The goal provided temporary relief for Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who had dominated possession without creating clear-cut opportunities against their well-organised opponents.
Milan’s superiority continued after the interval, with Audero producing two exceptional saves within minutes to deny both Modric and Youssouf Fofana from close range.
However, Cremonese struck with devastating efficiency when Giuseppe Pezzella’s cross found Bonazzoli in the penalty area, the former Sampdoria forward executing a perfect bicycle kick that flew past the helpless Maignan and sent the travelling supporters into raptures.
The defeat is a concerning start for Allegri, whose appointment was intended to restore stability following Milan’s disappointing 2024-2025 campaign that concluded without European qualification.
Cremonese manager Davide Nicola will view this result with particular satisfaction, having guided his team through a challenging Championship campaign to earn promotion while simultaneously preparing them tactically for their return to Serie A’s unforgiving environment.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
