AC Milan get timely boost with coach Fonseca's first win in Serie A

New AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca got his first Italian Serie A win in style and it couldn't have come at a better time for the Rossoneri.

A devastating opening half-hour got Milan on their way to a convincing 4-0 win over promoted Venezia on Saturday, in their first victory of the new season after opening with two draws and a loss.

The result and the manner of the rout provided a timely confidence boost ahead of a crucial week. Fonseca's team will host Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, followed by a Serie A derby against the defending champions Inter Milan.

Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez were benched for Milan's last game, but were back in the starting lineup for this match and combined to score the opener after just 90 seconds.

Hernandez won the ball at midfield and played it over to Leao, who gave it back with a delicious backheeled flick on the half-turn. That sent the French international down the left and he squeezed his shot past Venezia goalkeeper Jesse Joronen at the near post.

Milan doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Youssouf Fofana headed in a Christian Pulisic corner, and the American international got on the scoresheet himself in the 25th by converting a penalty, after Tammy Abraham was tripped by Joronen.

The Rossoneri were awarded another penalty less than three minutes later, after the video assistant referee (VAR) spotted Venezia defender Joel Schingtienn trodding on Leao's foot.

This time Abraham stepped up to net his first goal for Milan since joining from Roma last month.

It was the first time Milan scored four times in the first half-hour of a Serie A game since 1958.

Francesco Zampano thought he had pulled one back for Venezia, but the effort was ruled out and the promoted side's midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia was sent off after being shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek.