Bacca scores hat-trick as Milan get dramatic opening Serie A win

Reuters , Sunday 21 Aug 2016

Carlos Bacca
AC Milan's Carlos Bacca celebrates after scoring his third goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Torino at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016. (AP)

Forward Carlos Bacca scored a hat-trick and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a last-gasp penalty to give AC Milan a dramatic 3-2 win over Torino in their Serie A opener on Sunday.

The match at San Siro brought Milan face to face with Sinisa Mihajlovic, the coach they sacked in April, as they began a new era under Vincenzo Montella, the sixth man to sit in the hot seat in the last two-and-a-half years.

Colombia forward Bacca scored three times between the 38th and 62nd minutes, the third a penalty, while Andrea Belotti briefly pulled Torino level just after halftime.

Milan appeared to be cruising when they led 3-1 going into stoppage time, yet nearly contrived to throw it away.

Daniele Baselli pulled one back, then Belotti was fouled inside the area by defender Gabriel Paletta who was given a second yellow card and sent off.

But 17-year-old Donnarumma, given his professional debut by Mihajlovic last season, saved Belotti's penalty to spare Milan's blushes.

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