ROME, ITALY — Lorenzo Pellegrini converted a 74th-minute penalty to earn Roma a hard-fought 1-1 draw against AC Milan at the Olimpico, denying the visitors all three points after Koni De Winter's header had threatened to settle a tightly-contested Serie A encounter. The spot-kick, awarded for Davide Bartesaghi's handball, capped a dominant Roma performance that saw them pepper Mike Maignan's goal relentlessly but struggle to find a way past Milan's inspired goalkeeper.
Roma signaled their intent from the opening whistle, with Donyell Malen forcing Maignan into action within 60 seconds. The Dutch forward's left-footed effort from the center of the box, set up by Manu Koné, required a smart save from the Milan goalkeeper. It proved a sign of things to come as Roma monopolized possession and territory throughout the opening period. Malen threatened again in the eighth minute, this time with a right-footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box that Maignan again dealt with confidently.
The Giallorossi's dominance in possession and attacking intent continued into the second half, but it was Milan who struck against the run of play in the 62nd minute. Luka Modric, introduced to add experience to Milan's midfield, delivered a dangerous cross from a corner that found De Winter unmarked at the far post. The defender's header from very close range nestled into the bottom right corner, silencing the home crowd and rewarding Milan's clinical efficiency.
Roma's response was immediate and sustained. Paulo Dybala orchestrated attacks with his customary elegance, while Mat Soulé probed down the right flank. The breakthrough finally arrived when Bartesaghi's arm blocked a Roma cross in the penalty area, leaving referee no choice but to point to the spot. Pellegrini stepped up with confidence, sending Maignan the wrong way with a precise right-footed finish into the bottom left corner to restore parity.
The statistics told the story of Roma's territorial superiority. The hosts launched 15 shots at goal compared to Milan's five, with seven of Roma's efforts testing Maignan directly. Roma controlled 57.9% of possession, pinning Milan back for long stretches and forcing the visitors into a defensive shell. Yet for all their dominance, Roma managed just one goal from open play opportunities, a testament to both Maignan's shot-stopping and Milan's disciplined defensive structure marshaled by Fikayo Tomori and Matteo Gabbia.
Maignan's performance proved the difference between one point and none for Milan. Beyond his early saves from Malen, the French international denied Bryan Cristante with a spectacular stop in the 78th minute, tipping the midfielder's header over the bar after Pellegrini's cross had picked him out. In stoppage time of the first half, Maignan had also thwarted Zeki Çelik's right-footed effort from the center of the box, preserving the scoreline at a crucial juncture.
The match grew increasingly fractious as it wore on, with Milan collecting four yellow cards to Roma's none. Adrien Rabiot saw yellow for a bad foul in the 51st minute, while Zachary Athekame followed him into the referee's book four minutes later. Luka Modric and even Maignan were cautioned as Milan's frustration mounted under Roma's relentless pressure. The 15 fouls committed by Roma compared to Milan's 11 reflected the physical nature of the contest, with neither side willing to concede an inch.
Substitutions shaped the final stages as both managers sought a winning goal. Roma introduced Niccolò Pisilli for the injured Manu Koné, while Milan brought on Christian Pulisic and Niclas Füllkrug in search of fresh attacking impetus. Füllkrug nearly snatched victory in stoppage time, but his header from Rabiot's cross sailed just over the crossbar, summing up Milan's limited opportunities on an evening when Roma created far more but couldn't capitalize.
The draw leaves Milan in second place with 36 points, maintaining their pursuit of league leaders while Roma remain fifth on 31 points. For the hosts, it represents two points dropped after dominating proceedings, while Milan will view the result as a hard-earned point on the road against a side desperate to close the gap on the Champions League places.
Roma travel to face Panathinaikos on January 29 in European competition before returning to league action, while Milan host Bologna on February 1 looking to reignite their title challenge. Both sides will reflect on a match where defensive resilience and goalkeeping excellence ultimately trumped attacking ambition.