AC Milan moved high of Serie A on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Lazio which gave the seven-time European champions a one-point lead over Roma and resulted in chaos after a late penalty controversy.
Rafael Leao compelled house the one objective of a scrappy recreation on the San Siro within the 51st minute, the Portugal attacker assembly Fikayo Tomori’s highly effective low cross to attain his sixth objective of the season.
Milan will keep high until Roma beat Napoli on Sunday night time or the reigning champions come away from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with an away win of two targets or extra.
Little occurred till Leao broke the impasse, with the primary half providing nearly no motion past a sensational early save by Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France’s Maignan stored out Mario Gila’s well-directed header moments after kick-off, once more proving his value after a match-winning efficiency in final weekend’s Milan derby.
Maignan’s contract expires on the finish of the season however forward of kick-off Milan’s sporting director Igli Tare hinted that an extension can be agreed.
“We got here to am settlement collectively at first of the season, we’re shifting ahead with none strain on both occasion,” stated Tare.
A tepid encounter resulted in fireworks when Milan supervisor Massimiliano Allegri was despatched off for dissent as referee Giuseppe Collu went to test whether or not Lazio ought to be given an added-time penalty for a Strahinja Pavlovic handball.
To the delight of Milan’s gamers and followers Collu dominated towards Lazio, who keep eighth on 18 factors after a fifth defeat of the season which left them 5 factors behind seventh-placed Juventus who beat Cagliari 2-1 earlier on Saturday.
– Yildiz saves Juve once more –
Kenan Yildiz gave Luciano Spalletti his first house win as Juve coach with a vital brace, the Turkey ahead saving his crew’s blushes in stoppage time on the finish of the primary half with a usually trendy end after bursting in direction of the Cagliari space.
That was Yildiz’s fifth objective of the season for Juve and got here after he levelled the scores with a deflected strike within the twenty seventh minute, seconds after Sebastiano Esposito gave Cagliari a shock lead.
“Yildiz has the qualities of an excellent participant, he gave us the win out of nothing,” stated Spalletti.
“I’m making an attempt to present him as a lot freedom as doable and liberate him from tactical considerations. He’s actually nice in tight areas.”
Juve are six factors behind Milan following one other top-drawer show from Yildiz.
The 20-year-old got here off the bench to drive Juve to a 3-2 victory at Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night time — the “Previous Girl” of Italian soccer’s first win within the Champions League this season.
Spalletti stated that he’s “enthusiastic” to head again to Naples on Sunday week for one of many fieriest rivalries within the recreation.
He’ll seemingly must face Napoli, the crew he led to a historic third league title in 2023, with out Dusan Vlahovic after the Serbia striker picked up what seemed like a thigh harm within the first half.
That may be a blow for Spalletti, who has made Vlahovic his first-choice centre ahead as he tries to encourage the Turin giants following the sacking of Igor Tudor.
Earlier Daniele De Rossi earned his first win as Genoa coach after his crew got here again from a objective all the way down to beat backside facet Verona 2-1 and transfer outdoors the relegation zone.
Morten Thorsby netted the objective which gave Genoa their first house win since April as De Rossi continued his unbeaten begin as coach after changing Patrick Vieira earlier this month.
AFP
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