AC Milan reclaim Serie A lead by beating Lazio
SMA NEWS – ROME
If AC Milan win their first Serie A title in 11 years this season — and that’s looking more and more like a distinct possibility — their last-gasp comeback victory at Lazio on Sunday might go down as one of the keys to success.
Sandro Tonali scored in stoppage time as Milan came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win that restored the Rossoneri’s position atop the Italian league table.
“This was another important step forward,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said.
With four matches remaining, Milan moved two points ahead of city rival Inter Milan, which have a game in hand on their rival. Milan had put the pressure on with a 3-1 win over Roma on Saturday, and can reclaim the lead if they beat Bologna on Wednesday in a rescheduled match.
After a failed clearance from Francesco Acerbi, Tonali used his thigh to control a headed pass from Zlatan Ibrahimović, then poked the ball in — setting off wild celebrations among a large crowd of visiting fans at the Stadio Olimpico. In a display of determination, the play began when Ante Rebic stripped the ball from Lazio’s possession.
“It’s only right to be happy and satisfied with this game and our fans, who once again proved themselves fantastic,” Pioli said.
The victory extended Milan’s unbeaten streak to 12 matches and it marked the Rossoneri’s third win over Lazio this season, including the Italian Cup.
Lazio had taken an early lead when Ciro Immobile darted between two defenders and used one touch to redirect a cross from Sergej Milinković-Savić into the far corner.
The score made Immobile the fourth player in Europe’s top five leagues to score 25 or more goals in a single season at least three times since 2016-17 — Immobile’s first season at Lazio — after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.
Olivier Giroud’s equalizer after the break was similar to Immobile’s score. The France World Cup winner slid in to redirect a pass from Rafael Leão — also with one touch.
The loss hurt Lazio’s chances of securing a Europa League spot, leaving the Roman club two points behind city rival Roma, which are fifth.
