Rafael Leao shot AC Milan level with Serie A leaders Inter Milan with the only goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Verona, ending a difficult week in a positive fashion.
Portugal winger Leao netted his third goal in as many league matches in the eighth minute at a sodden San Siro to move Milan up to second on 12 points.
Juventus are two points back in fourth and can take temporary lead of Italy’s top flight with a win at Sassuolo before Lazio host Monza in Saturday’s late match.
The 24-year-old’s winner was one of the few highlights of a largely uninspiring performance from a much-changed Milan side missing captain Davide Calabria and France pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez.
But it was a welcome win after being destroyed by local rivals Inter last weekend and failing to capitalise on their dominance in Tuesday’s Champions League stalemate with Newcastle United.
Milan’s star man Leao, wearing the skipper’s armband in Calabria’s absence, answered some of his critics following poor displays in both of those matches, even becoming a figure of fun for falling over his own feet while trying to backheel in a goal against Newcastle.
Kick-off was delayed by nearly half an hour due to a sudden hailstorm which battered Milan, and the away fans then ruined the pre-match minute’s silence in honour of former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, who died aged 98 on Friday.
Napolitano, who was head of state between 2006 and 2015, was a leading member of Italy’s Communist Party from the 1970s until its dissolution in 1991, while Verona’s hardcore support is among the most right-wing in a country where fascist fan groups are widespread.
AFP
