Rafael Leao’s early purpose proved the distinction as Milan beat Sampdoria 1-0 at San Siro on Sunday to climb to the highest of Serie A.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw between Inter and Napoli offered Milan with the chance to leapfrog either side they usually did precisely that with out ever being at their greatest in opposition to Samp.
Leao calmly transformed inside eight minutes after being assisted by keeper Mike Maignan and that was sufficient for the hosts, who’ve now received three in a row in all competitions.
Milan are two factors away from third-place Napoli and one level higher off than reigning champions Inter, who nonetheless have a sport in hand to play.
Milan had collected only one level from their previous two dwelling matches however began brightly and took the lead early on by means of Leao’s tenth purpose of the marketing campaign.
The Portugal worldwide managed a protracted go from Maignan, drove away from Bartosz Bereszynski into the opposition field and coolly fired away from Wladimiro Falcone.
Falcone produced a effective one-handed save to maintain out a strong Junior Messias drive and the Milan midfielder flashed one other try narrowly huge the opposite aspect of half-time.
Sampdoria had a quick second on prime however the huge probabilities continued to fall Milan’s means, with Olivier Giroud twice being denied by the visiting keeper from a volley and a header.
The guests by no means actually regarded like discovering a leveller, although, with Stefano Pioli’s aspect seeing out the job to climb to the summit.
What does it imply? Tight on the prime
After following up a late 2-1 comeback win over Inter with a 4-0 Coppa Italia quarter-final victory in opposition to Lazio in midweek, this newest consequence caps a effective week for Milan.
The Rossoneri will finish a gameweek prime of Serie A for less than the second time this season in what’s by a long way the tightest title race in Europe’s prime 5 leagues.
As for relegation-threatened Sampdoria, this was their 67th Serie A defeat to Milan – solely in opposition to Inter (70) have they misplaced extra video games within the competitors.
Route-one Rossoneri
Leao profited from Maignan’s fast pondering to launch the ball early for Milan’s early breakthrough purpose.
Maignan is the eighth goalkeeper to help a purpose in Europe’s prime 5 leagues this time period, and the primary Milan shot-stopper to take action in Serie A since Dida in opposition to Ascoli in 2006.
The help wasn’t too shabby both, was it?#MilanSampdoria 1-0 #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/knDzCUE4vh
— AC Milan (@acmilan) February 13, 2022
Giroud awakening
Milan’s in-form striker had scored braces in back-to-back matches heading into this contest however merely couldn’t discover a well beyond man-of-the-match Falcone.
Giroud had 5 photographs in complete with an anticipated objectives (xG) return of 0.40 with out discovering the online, in comparison with one shot and one purpose for Leao, who had an xG of 0.33.
Key Opta Information
– Milan have gained 55 factors this season. Within the period of three factors for a win, they’ve solely as soon as earlier than accrued as many after 25 matches (64 in 2004-04).
– Rafael Leao has scored seven objectives in Serie A in 2021-22, another than in his earlier two seasons. 4 of these have been the opening purpose of a match.
– Two of the 4 video games during which Wladimiro Falcone has made a minimum of 5 saves in Serie A have been in opposition to Milan (six in the present day).
– Milan haven’t conceded a single shot on course within the first half of two of their previous three league matches.
What’s subsequent?
Milan journey to Serie A’s backside aspect Salernitana subsequent Saturday, whereas Sampdoria host Empoli the identical day.