Spezia beat Milan to boost survival hopes

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MILAN ± Spezia gave their Serie A survival hopes a huge boost yesterday by winning 2-0 against AC Milan who flopped ahead of their Champions League semi-final showdown with Inter Milan.

Przemyslaw Wisniewski and Salvatore Esposito struck their first Serie A goals in the final 15 minutes to give Spezia their first win in two months. Leonardo Semplici’s team are still in the relegation zone but Saturday’s win moves them level on 30 points with Verona, who sit one place above the bottom three and host Torino on Sunday.

A largely even match turned in the hosts’ favour in the 75th minute when Wisniewski pounced after Esposito’s corner was headed against the post by Kelvin Amian.

And Esposito sealed a precious three points 10 minutes later with a stunning free-kick which left Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan grasping at air.

Milan will try to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit against Inter on Tuesday but on Saturday’s evidence they will have their work cut out for them.

The defeat also damages Milan’s chances of qualifying for next season’s edition of Europe’s top club competition, as they stay fifth, two points behind Inter who hold the final spot in fourth and hosted Sassuolo later yesterday.

Spezia’s win means Salernitana will have to wait for mathematical safety, although they should stay up after Antonio Candreva shot them to a 1-0 win over Atalanta in the day’s early game.

Under a torrential downpour in southern Italy Candreva won the match for Salernitana in the 93rd minute with a powerful low drive from the edge of the area.