Scotland ace shunned for shock Serie A win over AC Milan as Lewis Ferguson gives Steve Clarke some food for thought

Scotland striker Che Adams was left out of the Torino starting XI for the first time this year as Paolo Vanoli’s side recorded a surprise 2-1 home win over AC Milan.

Adams has been one of Torino’s main forwards this season and has scored seven goals in 24 appearances for the Toro. However, Vanoli decided to drop the 28-year-old for the first time in eight games for the clash against the Rossoneri and it paid dividends at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Saturday.

The hosts raced into a fifth-minute lead when unfortunate AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw scored an own goal and the visitors’ woes were further compounded when former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic saw a 32nd-minute penalty saved by Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic celebrates the win over AC Milan with Guillermo Maripan. | Getty Images

AC Milan did manage to level on 74 minutes through Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, but parity only lasted two minutes, with Torino edging back in front through their Lithuanian substitute Gvidas Gineitis. Adams remained an unused substitute as his teammates held on for all three points

Torino now sit 11th in the Italian top flight after this win, while AC Milan - who also exited the Champions League this week at the hands of Feyenoord - sit seventh and out of the European positions.

Elsewhere in Serie A on Saturday, Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson made his return from injury but was unable to help Bologna avoid a 2-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Parma.

Ferguson has not featured for Bologna since hurting his thigh last month in a Champions League match against Sporting CP, but he ended his four-game absence by appearing as an 84th-minute substitute.

However, the Rossoblu captain was unable to inspire a comeback, with Parma already two goals to the good as they moved provisionally out of the drop zone. Bologna sit eighth in the table.

Ferguson’s return to action will give Scotland manager Steve Clarke food for thought ahead of picking his squad in a couple of weeks for the national team’s Nations League play-off tie against Greece. The former Aberdeen man has not featured in almost a year due to injuries.

Bologna were defeated 2-0 by Parma, with Lewis Ferguson coming on as a late substitute. | Getty Images

Internazionale provisionally went top of Serie A on Saturday night after a narrow 1-0 win over Genoa at home thanks to a 78th-minute Lisandro Martinez strike. However, Napoli - with Scotland duo Scott McTominay (ex Man-Utd) and Billy Gilmour (ex-Rangers) in their ranks - can go back to the summit if they beat Como in the Sunday lunchtime match.

In Serie B, Scotland defender and former Hibs starlet Josh Doig played 79 minutes for Sassuolo and picked up a booking in their 0-0 draw away at Sampdoria.

Sassuolo remain top of the Italian second tier, five points clear of nearest challengers Pisa and with a 12-point cushion in the promotion places.