Goals from Rafael Leao and Junior Messias helped the Rossoneri to move to 71 points from 33 games, just two points above second-placed Inter, who have a game in hand.
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Table toppers AC Milan and Inter Milan registered comfortable victories on Friday night to keep things tight at the top of the Serie A standings. Milan defeated Genoa 2-0 at San Siro to at least temporarily stay at the summit of the points table while second-placed Inter Milan beat Spezia 3-1 to maintain pressure over the leaders. Goals from Rafael Leao and Junior Messias helped the Rossoneri to move to 71 points from 33 games, just two points above from their City rivals Inter, who have a game in hand.
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A win to celebrate a very happy Easter for all Rossoneri! ?
Il regalo di Pasqua che tutti volevamo: bravi ragazzi! ?#MilanGenoa #SempreMilan@Acqua_Lete pic.twitter.com/03rbcsTg8s
— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 15, 2022
Milan, who desperately needed a victory after back-to-back goalless draws, started the match brightly and took the lead inside the opening 11 minutes. Right-back Pierre Kalulu’s pin-point cross was volleyed home by Leao at the far post. Franck Kessie muscled his way past a number of Genoa defenders before setting up an unmarked Alexis Saelemaekers inside the box, but the Belgian’s effort went over the bar.
After the break, Salelemakers delivered a perfect cross for Olivier Giroud, but the unmarked Frenchman’s volley missed the target from 12 yards. At the other end, Gabbia risked an own goal with a strange deflection, but Maignan was alert to recover.
Leao saw his angled drive saved by Salvatore Sirigu at the near post but the hosts deservedly doubled their lead on 87 minutes. Theo Hernandez made an impressive run down the left flank before the ball fell to Ante Rebic who controlled it with his chest and crossed for Junior Messias. The Brazilian’s initial attempt was brilliantly kept out by Sirigu but he fired home from the rebound.
Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic had to rush out of his line to close down Emmanuel Gyasi inside the opening six minutes after an Ivan Perisic error. Hakan Calhanoglu’s long-range effort went just wide before Marcelo Brozovic broke the deadlock on 31 minutes. Danilo D’Ambrosio knocked down a Brozovic pass, the Croatian let it bounce and smashed on the half-volley into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
Lautaro Martinez doubled Inter’s lead on 73 minutes. Perisic cut inside from the left and struck it low and Martinez with his back to goal struck out a leg to flick it into the far bottom corner. Two minutes from time, the hosts pulled one back through Giulio Maggiore’s brilliant right-foot strike from the edge of the box that went into the far post.
But Inter restored their two goal cushion in the third minute of injury time. Alexis Sanchez was brought down outside the box but the referee played the advantage, The Chilean got back on his feet and quickly got inside the box to slot home from Martinez’ assist.
