Leao secures controversial win for Milan against Lazio

Rafael Leao secured an important victory for AC Milan against Lazio on Sunday with a finish from a well-worked team move.

The skipper, Mike Maignan, with his heroics, also helped AC Milan see off Lazio to temporarily go top of the Serie A table. 

The dramatic finale follows the Rossoneri Derby della Madonnina victory against Inter.

Max Allegri had to get the results without in-form Christian Pulisic, who’s out of action due to injury, and Leao rose to the occasion to give Milan the win. The American has now joined Santiago Gimenez and Zachary Athekame on the treatment table, giving Christopher Nkunku the chance to step in.

The Aquile’s unbeaten run of 8 games has now ended; the last time they were defeated was a 2-0 against Inter.

Meanwhile,  Danilo Cataldi has added to the number of injured players for the visitors. Others include Matteo Cancellieri, Nicolò Rovella, and Samuel Gigot, while Taty Castellanos returned to the bench, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru added to the squad in place of Elseid Hysaj.

Milan will hope to do a double over The Aquile as they both will meet again on Thursday in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Lazio almost had a perfect start from a free kick floated to the six-yard box for Mario Gila’s header in the opening 90 seconds, but Mike Maignan fingertipped it onto the crossbar.

Maignan made another save at the base of the near post after Mattia Zaccagni turned Fikayo Tomori.

Milan eventually got the first real opportunity just before half-time when Tomori scuffed a volley wide on the deflected Davide Bartesaghi cross.

Laxio had another opportunity, but Zaccagni failed to steer a Gustav Isaksen cross on target at the back post, as Tomori had also cleared regardless.

Milan then broke the deadlock after the restart with a well-worked move.  Saelemaekers and Fofana released Tomori, whose low cross down the right went across the six-yard box and found Rafael Leao sliding in for the finish.

Adrien Rabiot and Fofana had chances to double Milan’s lead but fired their opportunities off target from very promising positions. 

After Fofana again hit a fresh-air shot having run from midfield to the edge of the box, Ivan Provedel flew to palm away Leao’s towering header on Bartesaghi’s cross, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek nodding wide on a similar move.

There was a controversy as VAR ruled out Lazio’s 112th-minute penalty appeal.

The penalty appeal for Alessio Romagnoli was turned down as his volley got charged down by Pavlovic’s arm, prompting a VAR review and chaos on the touchline. 

This led to the sending off of both Max Allegri and Sarri’s assistant manager, Marco Ianni, for dissent.

Following the review, the referee ruled that the arm was jutting out, but that Pavlovic was fouled by Adam Marusic first.