AC Milan 1-0 Lazio
A late second-half spot kick coolly converted by Franck Kessie gave Milan a crucial three points in the day’s big Serie A clash against Lazio.
Milan and Lazio both needed to win this game in the battle to take the fourth Champions League place, and Roma’s earlier win over Udinese had put them in that coveted spot.
But after a hard-fought encounter, it’s Gennaro Gattuso’s team which has edged ahead in the race and moved back above Roma into pole position.
Elsewhere, the other big Serie A 2019 news of the day was Juventus having to wait to celebrate another league title after a shock 2-1 defeat to SPAL. That wasn’t a result we expected here at SBOBET!
Highlights of the game
Milan are hoping to bring the good times back for their fans as they were the last team to beat Juventus to the Scudetto back in 2011. And the Rossoneri started the game on the front foot when Tiemoue Bakayoko passed to Fabio Borini, who saw his shot charged down.
Lazio quickly came back at their hosts. After Ciro Immobile teed him up, Luis Alberto fired towards the bottom corner but Jose Reina saved.
It was a lively first half with Immobile in buoyant mood. He crossed for Joaquin Correa but the Argentine fired over. The Lazio keeper was then called into action when Franck Kessie fired one towards the bottom right corner, but Thomas Strakosha was equal to it.
Hakan Calhanoglu and top scorer Krzysztof Piatek both had efforts for the hosts. But it was Lazio which came within a whisker of taking the lead when Luis Alberto threaded a ball through the Milan defence and Immobile hit the post with his effort.
The Biancoceleste came out for the second half the brighter of the two teams. Lucas Leiva came very close with his right foot shot from a Luis Alberto corner.
On 71 minutes Bakayoko had a good chance to put the hosts in front when he met a Calhanoglu corner, but his header flew past the right-hand post. And then the drama hit fever pitch with 15 minutes remaining.
First, it looked like the big moment had arrived when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after the ball struck Francesco Acerbi on the hand. But the groans echoed around the San Siro when VAR cancelled the on-field decision.
But while the Milan fans still cursed their luck, another chance came. Mateo Musacchio was impeded by Lazio’s Riza Durmisi and the ref gave the penalty again.
This time there was no VAR and Kessie stroked home the spot kick into the bottom right corner to send the fans into ecstasy.
That goal seemed to settle the hosts, who looked like adding another goal. Suso brought out a great save from Strakosha when his shot flew towards the top corner, and Patrick Cutrone came close with an effort deep into injury time.
But one goal was enough and Milan’s march is back on.
Key statistics
The Rossoneri edged the first half with 56 per cent possession and ten shots to eight. That pattern continued in the second half with the shot count finishing at 19 to 12 to the hosts in a game they just about deserved to win.
It was a big victory for Gattuso’s men and one which means the Serie A 2019 betting odds have Milan in a great position to grab that fourth spot.
The Rossoneri have now won 26 to Lazio’s 11 in the head to heads and has lost just two in 31 against the Biancoceleste at the San Siro.
And crucially for the hosts, it ends an edgy run of four games without a win, and to achieve that against a direct rival makes it so much better.
What’s next?
These two teams meet in the Coppa Italia semi-final in a week and a half, and that is bound to be another close affair after a 0-0 draw in the first leg.
But in the meantime, the chase for fourth spot continues. Milan are away to Parma next week. Their opponents are in 15th place and are still not safe from relegation.
Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi needs to pick his players up. This was a hard-fought game and with a little luck, they would have come away with a result.
They are still in the hunt and have a chance to make up ground when they play their game in hand against 16th placed Udinese. They then have another big opportunity to pick up points at home against bottom club Chievo.
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