<!--Article Start--> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Furious AC Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic hit out at his side despite new recruits Carlos Bacca and Luiz Adriano hitting maiden Serie A goals in a 2-1 victory over Empoli on Saturday.</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">Milan, who like city rivals Inter failed to qualify for Europe this season, started the new campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina last week.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">But after their first league win of the season, Mihajlovic slammed his side's attitude.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Mihajlovic, who has taken over the fallen Serie A giants after a great season with Sampdoria, told Sky Sport: "The only thing positive about tonight was the rest, but nothing else.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We lacked courage, personality and character. Not a lot has changed since last year, except for the two new lads who both scored a goal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We really need to work on our mental approach, because in midweek we'd worked a lot on how to get the ball forward to the strikers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"The strikers were doing everything right, but they just weren't being given the service. We can't go on like that."</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Milan caused a minor shock in midweek after signing former striker Mario Balotelli from Liverpool on loan for the season as they look to qualify for Europe next year.</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Mario Balotelli started on the bench</strong></h3> <a href="http://www.thehardtackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/04904516.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-203581" src="http://www.thehardtackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/04904516-1024x681.jpg" alt="Milan vs Empoli" width="800" height="532" /></a> <p style="text-align: justify">Balotelli started on the bench and, with Bacca and Adriano in fine fettle, was kept there by Mihajlovic as his side scraped a first league win of the season two weeks ahead of their next outing, away to Inter.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Colombian striker Bacca, signed from Sevilla in the summer, gave the hosts a 16th minute lead after a combination of pace and power took him past Marco Zambelli to beat on-rushing goalkeeper Lucasz Skorupski with a fine angled strike.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Empoli, however, were anything but a pushover.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The visitors had scored against Milan in their last five outings and were quickly back on level terms when former Milan forward Riccardo Saponara finished off a quick one-two with Massimo Maccarone to beat Diego Lopez in the 20th minute.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Milan walked off at half-time to a chorus of whistles and jeers at their San Siro home ground.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">After the restart, the first chances fell to Empoli, with midfielder Daniele Croce and striker Manuel Puccierelli, the latter on 63 minutes, both testing Lopez in the Milan net.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The visitors, however, paid the price for giving away an avoidable corner shortly afterwards with Adriano rising well to fire a powerful header into the net after Skorupski had misjudged his run-out.</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Sassuolo provisionally go top of the Serie A</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">Earlier, Antonio Floro Flores came off the bench and hit a late winner as Sassuolo went provisionally top with a 1-0 win at Bologna.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Floro Flores hit his first goal of the new campaign last week in a precious 2-1 home win over Napoli, but this time the Italian striker required fortune to go his way.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">After replacing Matteo Politano on the hour mark, Floro Flores made an immediate impact for the visitors as they fought for a late goal in what was a balanced encounter at the Renato dall'Ara stadium.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Minutes from the final whistle, Bologna's defence was caught unawares by a Sassuolo counter-attack and an alert Floro Flores pounced on a deflected pass from fellow forward Karim Laribi to beat Antonio Mirante with a well-taken angled drive.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Promoted Bologna, looking for their first Serie A win since March 2014, pressed hard in the final minutes with keeper Mirante running up the park and coming close to making contact with his head at a corner.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">But Sassuolo held on for a second consecutive win that sent the 'Neroverdi' top of the pile ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">On Sunday, last season's runners-up Roma host champions Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico, while Lazio are away to Chievo, new boys Carpi host Inter and Napoli entertain Sampdoria.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>By AFP</strong> . </p> <!--Article End-->