Despite their disappointing domestic seasons, both teams were looking for back-to-back wins and were off to a good start. A free kick from Tijjani Reijnders after five minutes was spilled by Mile Slivar, but the goalkeeper managed to rally at the second attempt.
At the other end, Mike Maignan was not pressured by efforts from Paulo Dybala and Mats Hummels, before Dybala and Alexis Saelemaekers combined to set up Artem Dovbyk, whose low effort hit the post and bounced clear.
The Giallrossi continued to spoil that miss in the 16th minute, when Youssouf Fofana carried the ball across the halfway line on the counter-attack, combining with Álvaro Morata and then putting Reijnders ahead for a first-time finish that put Milan ahead.
Their lead only lasted halfway through, however, when Dovbyk beautifully flicked Niccolò Pisilli's pass to Dybala, who sweetly smashed the ball past Maignan to level the scores in style and give Roma a first away goal in the opening 25 minutes since October. 2023.
It remained that way until half-time, although there was time for Milan manager Paulo Fonseca to be sent off for two bookable offences.
They may have been without a manager for the second half, but the Rossoneri were at the forefront in their quest for an 80th win over Roma. Fofana should have done better from close range, while Samuel Chukwueze and Ismaël Bennacer both forced strong saves from Slivar before the hour mark.
Claudio Ranieri's side managed to absorb the pressure and grow into the match as the half progressed, and when Pisilli and Emerson Royal both missed the target at either end, the tie was nicely balanced in the final ten minutes.
The home side had Maignan to thank for keeping their point late on when Stephan El Shaarawy won a corner on the edge of the penalty area, and only a firm hand from the French goalkeeper prevented the ball from finding the top corner.
The draw means Milan remain unbeaten at home in the last two months of 2024 and unbeaten at home to Roma since 2017, although still out of the European places.
Meanwhile, Roma are now three without defeat despite going twelve games without a win in the away league and are just in the top half of the table.
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