AC Milan 2–4 Bologna: Mbangula Hat-Trick Stuns Amorim Before Inter Derby

Bologna stun Milan with four-goal victory at San Siro

AC Milan suffered their first Serie A defeat of the 2026/27 season on Wednesday, 28 October, as Bologna overturned a half-time deficit to win 4–2 at San Siro. Samuel Mbangula was the decisive figure for Raffaele Palladino's side, scoring three times in an extraordinary away performance. His hat-trick overshadowed a promising first-half display from Alphadjo Cisse, whose two goals had briefly put Milan in control. The visitors opened the scoring early, but Milan responded through Cisse and went into the interval leading 2–1. That advantage disappeared during a dramatic second-half spell when a Davide Bartesaghi own goal and Mbangula's second strike turned the match around within two minutes. Mbangula completed his hat-trick in the closing stages to secure Bologna's victory. For Rúben Amorim, the result was particularly damaging with the Derby della Madonnina against Inter scheduled for Saturday, 31 October. Milan's injury problems also deepened when Fikayo Tomori was forced off at half-time.

Mbangula strikes first before Cisse turns the game around

Bologna made an immediate impact in the eighth minute when Samuel Mbangula finished a move created by Nadir Zortea, beating Mike Maignan to give the visitors a 1–0 lead. Milan responded six minutes later. Omari Hutchinson won possession high up the pitch following a mistake by Arthur Theate and supplied Alphadjo Cisse, who finished past Łukasz Skorupski to restore parity. The equaliser changed the momentum of the first half. Milan began pressing more effectively and found their second goal in the 27th minute. Fikayo Tomori advanced into an attacking position and delivered a low cross towards Cisse, who converted from close range to complete his brace. It was an impressive individual performance from the young forward, who had been selected ahead of Christian Pulisic. Milan reached half-time with a 2–1 advantage, but Tomori had already shown signs of a muscular problem and was unable to continue after the interval. Luka Modrić replaced the defender as Amorim adjusted his team's shape.

Bartesaghi own goal sparks Bologna's second-half comeback

Bologna emerged from the break with greater attacking purpose, while Milan struggled to maintain their earlier intensity. Palladino's substitutions proved especially influential. Juan Miranda entered the contest and quickly helped transform the result. In the 60th minute, his dangerous free-kick delivery travelled across Milan's penalty area and was inadvertently turned into the net by Davide Bartesaghi. The own goal brought Bologna level at 2–2. Only two minutes later, Miranda created another opportunity from the left flank. His low cross reached Mbangula, who found space inside the penalty area and finished beyond Maignan to restore Bologna's lead. Milan had gone from leading 2–1 to trailing 3–2 in a matter of minutes. Amorim attempted to recover by introducing additional attacking options, including Pulisic and Francesco Camarda, but Bologna continued to threaten whenever the hosts committed players forward.

Mbangula completes hat-trick as Milan fail to respond

Milan pushed for an equaliser during the closing stages but struggled to create clear opportunities against Bologna's increasingly confident defence. Camarda came close to making an immediate impact after entering the match, meeting an inviting cross from Cisse but directing his header narrowly wide. The missed opportunity proved costly. In the 86th minute, Bologna exploited space behind Milan's defence following a turnover near the halfway line. Jens Odgaard advanced into the attacking area and squared the ball to Mbangula, who completed his hat-trick with a close-range finish. The fourth goal effectively ended Milan's hopes of recovering a point. Bologna had demonstrated impressive efficiency and resilience, responding to their first-half difficulties with a decisive attacking performance after the interval. For Milan, Cisse's double was one of the few positives from a match that exposed defensive vulnerabilities and problems maintaining intensity across 90 minutes.

What Milan's defeat means before the Inter derby

The 4–2 defeat ended Milan's unbeaten start to the Serie A campaign and raised immediate questions about the team's defensive organisation ahead of Saturday's derby against Inter. Amorim had entered the Bologna match managing eight unavailable players, limiting his options for rotation during a demanding sequence of domestic and European fixtures. Tomori's injury added another concern, with the defender requiring assessment after leaving the pitch at half-time. Following the match, Amorim identified fatigue and a lack of energy as factors behind his team's second-half difficulties, while acknowledging that injuries alone did not explain the defeat. The result also highlighted the contrast between Milan's attacking potential and their defensive consistency. Cisse demonstrated his finishing ability with two well-taken goals, but the hosts conceded four times and failed to protect their half-time advantage. Bologna, meanwhile, secured a significant away victory through Mbangula's finishing and the impact of their substitutions. Milan must now recover quickly before facing Inter, while Bologna can build on a result that demonstrated their ability to compete against one of Serie A's leading clubs.