AC Milan's hopes of closing the gap on Serie A leaders Inter suffered a blow after they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at San Siro by newly-promoted Como on Wednesday night. Despite Rafael Leao's composed equalizer, the hosts could not complete the comeback, leaving them seven points behind their city rivals with Massimiliano Allegri sent off late in the contest.

Leao Strikes Again, But Milan Stumble

The game opened cautiously, with both sides struggling to create clear chances. However, Como struck first in the 32nd minute following a glaring error from Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. His careless pass was intercepted by Nico Paz, who calmly slotted the ball through the keeper's legs to give the visitors a surprise lead.

Milan responded, with Leao seeing a shot tipped over before finally leveling the score in the 64th minute. Pouncing on a clever lofted pass from Ardon Jashari, the Portuguese winger delicately chipped Como custodian Jean Butez to rescue a point.

Leao almost completed the turnaround moments later, heading onto the crossbar, but Como held firm. They nearly reclaimed the lead late on through Jesus Rodriguez's curling free-kick, but Maignan managed to keep it out despite the earlier blunder.

Allegri Expelled Amid Title Pressure

The frustration boiled over for Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri, who was shown a red card with 10 minutes remaining after an altercation on the touchline. The dismissal underscored the mounting pressure on the team, currently in second place but now seven points behind Inter with 14 games remaining.

Despite the draw extending Milan's unbeaten league run to 24 matches—their longest since the legendary 1991–92 unbeaten season—the result felt like two points dropped rather than one gained.

Leao Urges Unity Amid Setback

Leao, who has now scored eight goals in just 18 Serie A appearances this season—matching his tally from the entire previous campaign—called for solidarity from the squad and fans alike.

"It was a match we should have won," Leao told DAZN. "We played much better than in the last game against them. We had more possession, but in the first half, we could have been more decisive in front of goal."

He acknowledged the team's shortcomings, particularly in converting dominance into goals, and emphasized resilience.

"This is an important moment in the season, and I ask the fans to all be united," he said. "The group is fantastic; we have the energy to aim for great things."

Leao also stood by Maignan despite the costly mistake, highlighting their past connection at Lille and the importance of team support during difficult moments.

Statistical Edge But Lack of Cutting Edge

Surprisingly, Como held a clear edge in expected goals (1.45 xG vs. Milan's 0.76), indicating that Milan were fortunate to escape with a draw. Nico Paz, who now has nine league goals this season, all scored away from home, continues to impress since joining this summer. His goal marked his first in consecutive away Serie A matches.

Despite their unbeaten streak, Milan's inability to dominate weaker opponents could prove costly in the tight Scudetto race. Allegri's side now face a crucial run of fixtures as they attempt to reignite their title challenge.

As Leao put it: "There are so many games, Serie A is becoming very difficult. We're looking for our own games, we wanted to win today. Now we're trying to win the next one in a few days, and then we'll see. We're aiming to move up."