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AAP
AAP
Justin Chadwick

Roma spring upset to dampen Giroud's Milan farewell

Roma's Jose Angel Esmoris Tasende heads the ball during the friendly match with AC Milan in Perth. (Stefan Gosatti/AAP PHOTOS)

French World Cup winner Olivier Giroud fell just short of ending his AC Milan stint with a goal as AS Roma produced an upset 5-2 win in a friendly in Perth.

In front of 56,522 fans on Friday night, Giroud hit the post from a tight angle in the 29th minute before being substituted off at half-time of the goalfest.

It marked the end of his time in Milan colours, with the 37-year-old to join Major League Soccer club Los Angeles.

"For me, he's such a legend," Milan attacker Noah Okafor said of Giroud. "Big respect, that he performs at that age every training, every game. For sure I'm going to miss him a lot."

Friday's match, coming less than a week after the conclusion of the Serie A campaign, resembled little more than a glorified training run for most of the first half as players from both sides noticeably held back in their efforts.

A Mexican wave broke out among the crowd in the 25th minute as fans became thirsty for more action.

But it was goals galore from that point on as the defences from both sides were ripped wide open.

A horror goalkeeper blooper gifted Roma the opener in the 27th minute.

Tommaso Baldanzi's long-range drive should have been easily saved by goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, who had gone to ground in an attempt to block the ball.

But instead of using his hands, Sportiello inexplicably attempted to kick the ball away while still grounded, and the result was the ball deflecting off him and in for a goal. 

That sparked Milan into action. and their equaliser in the 37th minute was definitely worth the wait as Theo Hernandez produced a piece of magic.

Hernandez was outside of the box when he greeted his teammate's floated pass with a cracking left-foot volley that slightly curled around a defender and rocketed into the back of the net.

Tammy Abraham restored Roma's lead on the stroke of half-time with a thundering strike from inside the box.

Both sides made mass substitutions at half-time, and the game exploded to life as goals were scored in the 54th, 55th and 57th minutes.

Angelino made it 3-1 to Roma with an angled shot that bounced in off the post. Ten seconds after the restart, Milan pulled one back when Noah Okafor slid into the box to finish off a sweet team move.

Roma were out to a 4-2 lead two minutes later when Paulo Dybala curled it around two defenders. Sardar Azmoun secured the win in the 77th minute when his strike bounced in off the upright.

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