Ochoa impresses in Serie A debut despite AC Milan win

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Milan’s Rafael Leao drives the ball past Salernitana’s goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to score to 0-1 during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Milan, at Arechi stadium in Salerno, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

ROME (AP) — Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a Serie A debut to remember for Salernitana.

Even if it wasn’t enough to prevent defending champion AC Milan from beating the southern club 2-1 on Wednesday as the Italian league resumed after a 7 ½-week break.

Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali scored one goal and set up another for Rafael Leão over a five-minute stretch early on, while Federico Bonazzoli pulled one back late for Salernitana.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Milan’s Sandro Tonali in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Milan, at Arechi stadium in Salerno, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Otherwise, it was almost all about the 37-year-old Ochoa, who denied Milan on chance after chance to follow up a strong performance for Mexico at his fifth World Cup.

Ochoa set the tone at the start when he stuck his left boot out to stop a shot from Leão in a 1-on-1 situation and also later made a quick-reflex save on Milan forward Olivier Giroud, who was back in action 17 days after playing for France in the World Cup final.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Milan’s Rafael Leao, centre, in action against Salernitana’s Federico Fazio, right, during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Milan, at Arechi stadium in Salerno, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Ochoa could only do so much, though, when Tonali’s through ball set Leão in on goal again and the Portugal international dribbled wide around the goalkeeper before depositing the ball into an empty net from a sharp angle.

Ochoa did stop Tonali five minutes later but the Milan player then got another opportunity when the defense failed to clear and hit the target with a powerful shot.

In all, Ochoa made nine saves, while Milan counterpart Ciprian Tatarusanu made none.

Second-place Milan moved within five points of Serie A leader Napoli, which was to play Inter Milan at the San Siro later

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli gives instructions during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Milan, at Arechi stadium in Salerno, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Also, relegation-threatened Sampdoria won 2-1 at Sassuolo with goals from Manolo Gabbiadini and Tommaso Augello, prompting Samp coach Dejan Stanković to point to the sky in apparent memory of former teammate Siniša Mihajlović, who died last month after a long battle with leukemia.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Milan’s Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring to 0-1 during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Salernitana and Milan, at Arechi stadium in Salerno, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Each match was preceded with a minute of silence to remember Pelé, the soccer great who died last week.

All 20 teams were in action.

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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf

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