Milan thank last-gasp Lapadula
Gianluca Lapadula’s late goal snatched Milan’s 2-1 victory over Crotone after Alex Cordaz saved the M’Baye Niang penalty.
The Rossoneri needed a victory to stay in second place and within four points of leaders Juventus, but missed Carlos Bacca, Giacomo Bonaventura, Mati Fernandez, Davide Calabria and Riccardo Montolivo. Bottom of the table Crotone were without Aleksander Tonev, Djamel Mesbah and Claitos Dos Santos, so Bruno Martella stepped in.
These sides had met only once before, a Coppa Italia tie in December 2015 that was 1-1 after 90 minutes, then Milan won 3-1 in extra time.
It was a very aggressive start from the minnows, as Leonardo Capezzi pounced on a poor Gianluigi Donnarumma pass and forced the goalkeeper to fingertip the shot over the bar.
M’Baye Niang wasted a good opportunity by firing off target when Gianluca Lapadula had run into space, while Adrian Stoian blasted over when he had time to control from a corner.
Crotone had the stronger start and took a shock lead at San Siro when Mattia De Sciglio bundled Marcus Rohden over for what would’ve been a penalty, but the ball rolled across for Diego Falcinelli to tap in from six yards.
Milan’s attempts to come back into it were half-hearted, particularly Jose Ernesto Sosa having a nightmare of a performance with repeated shots into the stands.
Niang sprung the offside trap and then hesitated when clear on goal, allowing Ceccherini to dive in with a decisive block. However, from that corner Gabriel Paletta flicked it on for Mario Pasalic to nod in unmarked from four yards, drawing the Rossoneri level.
After the restart there was an extraordinary Milan double miss. A cross found Ignazio Abate’s diving header from a yard, but it was essentially cleared off the line by teammate Lapadula’s hand, not that the striker knew much about it.
Moments later Lorenzo Crisetig was penalised for a challenge on Lapadula, although it seemed to be a clean tackle. Niang fought with Lapadula and insisted on taking the spot-kick, but saw it kept out by a sensational Cordaz save, the ex-Inter goalkeeper sticking up a hand to palm it away from the near top corner.
Marcello Trotta tested Donnarumma, as Crotone remained more than in the running, while the San Siro crowd booed Jose Sosa and Niang off the pitch.
Just as it looked to be heading for a stalemate, a Keisuke Honda free kick ricocheted in the box and Lapadula was quickest to react, rifling home from 12 yards. It was the ex-Pescara striker’s first goal at San Siro and his wild celebrations showed what it meant.
Juraj Kucka was rested to avoid getting a ban for next week’s clash with Roma, but managed to get a booking anyway in his five minutes on the pitch.
Lapadula: 'This is just the start'
Gianluca Lapadula was overjoyed at his first San Siro goal for Milan, squeezing past Crotone 21. “This is just the start.”
The Rossoneri had gone behind to a surprise Diego Falcinelli strike, then Mario Pasalic equalised and M’Baye Niang saw his penalty parried by Alex Cordaz.
With four minutes to go, Lapadula rifled home a loose ball for the three points, keeping Milan within four points of leaders Juventus.
“San Siro has always been La Scala del Calcio, the most important stadium in Italy. It was my first start here and I really wanted to score. I’m happy we managed to win,” Lapadula told Sky Sport Italia.
“I’m in good form, but I haven’t done anything yet. This is just the start of our important journey together.
“I want to take this opportunity to dedicate the goal and win to Chapecoense. Forza Chape, you will remain in our memories forever.”
Roma rely on Lazio errors
Lazio had the better of the first half, but Kevin Strootman and Radja Nainggolan pounced on errors to give Roma a fiery 2-0 derby win.
This was one of the biggest Rome Derbies for years, as only one point separated the rivals in the fight for a top three finish. Lazio were technically the home side and had another advantage, as the Giallorossi ultras continued to boycott the Stadio Olimpico over barriers, but the Curva Nord agreed to return for this game.
Luciano Spalletti was without Mohamed Salah, Leandro Paredes and Alessandro Florenzi, while Stephan El Shaarawy was not 100 per cent fit, so he changed system to a 3-4-2-1. Roma were unbeaten in seven Serie A editions of the Derby della Capitale stretching back to November 2012, including four consecutive victories.
The ‘hosts’ had a very strong start and pinned their rivals back, Ciro Immobile firing two efforts off target and Senad Lulic testing Wojciech Szczesny.
There was chaos on 29 minutes when the referee awarded a free kick on the outside edge of the box for a Lucas Biglia trip on Bruno Peres, then pointed to the spot and immediately changed his mind again.
Replays suggest Peres slipped by himself first and that was inside the box, so the referee’s final decision and the Biglia booking was wrong in two ways.
Marco Parolo’s strike was as central as it was powerful, so smothered relatively easily by Szczesny, but Roma had their best chance of the game so far on 52 minutes. Kostas Manolas knocked on a Radja Nainggolan cross for Edin Dzeko, who couldn’t get enough on the header under pressure from Wallace.
Dzeko went even closer when his free header on a Nainggolan cross from point-blank range was straight at Marchetti, then looped inches past the post.
Moments later, Immobile went on the counter and his shot was blocked by a desperate Manolas tackle.
The deadlock was broken in truly comical fashion, because Wallace was incredibly caught in possession on the edge of his own penalty area and Strootman delicately chipped the on-rushing Marchetti to put Roma in front. A brawl erupted on the touchline, as Strootman squirted water into the face of Danilo Cataldi, who was sent off from the bench for grabbing him from behind.
Milinkovic-Savic turned quickly only to fire wide from six yards, but Lazio again ruined things for themselves on the second Roma goal.
Nainggolan went on the counter and his scuffed shot bounced a couple of times on its way into the near bottom corner, but Marchetti was so slow to get down and couldn’t reach.
Yesterday AC Milan-Crotone .......................... 2-1 Falcinelli 26’ (C), Pasalic 41’ (M), Lapadula 86’ (M) Lazio-AS Roma ............................... 0-2 Strootman 64’, Nainggolan 77’ Pescara-Cagliari ............................. 1-1 Borriello 24’ (C), Caprari 90+2 (P) Sampdoria-Torino .......................... 2-0 Barreto 51’, Schick 90+5’ Sassuolo-Empoli ............................ 3-0 Pellegrini 22’ pen, Ricci 36’ pen, Ragusa 53’ Fiorentina-Palermo ........................ 2-1 Bernardeschi 33’ pen (F), Jajalo 49’ (P), Babacar 90+3’ (F) Today Chievo-Genoa Udinese-Bologna
Standings
Juventus AS Roma AC Milan Napoli Lazio Atalanta Torino Fiorentina Sampdoria Inter Cagliari Genoa Chievo Sassuolo Bologna Udinese Empoli Pescara Crotone Palermo
Serie B 15 12 15 10 15 10 15 8 15 8 15 9 15 7 14 6 15 6 15 6 15 6 13 5 14 5 15 5 14 4 14 4 15 2 15 1 15 1 15 1 0 3 32 13 36 2 3 35 16 32 2 3 27 19 32 4 3 27 15 28 4 3 27 16 28 1 5 24 17 28 4 4 31 19 25 5 3 22 16 23 4 5 19 20 22 3 6 22 21 21 2 7 23 32 20 4 4 17 15 19 3 6 14 16 18 2 8 20 26 17 4 6 14 21 16 3 7 18 23 15 4 9 724 10 5 9 12 27 8 3 11 12 29 6 3 11 11 29 6
Yesterday Verona-Perugia ................................ 2-2 Today Benevento-Cesena
Lega Pro A
Yesterday Giana Erminio-Pontedera ................ 0-1 Alessandria-Viterbese ..................... 4-0 Arezzo-Lupa Roma .......................... 3-1 Piacenza-Racing Roma .................... 1-4 Como-Pro Piacenza ......................... 3-2 Today Siena-Lucchese
Lega Pro B
Yesterday Fano-Venezia ................................... 0-1 FeralpiSalo-Ancona ......................... 0-0 Gubbio-Reggiana ............................. 2-3 Maceratese-Sudtirol ....................... 1-2 Mantova-Santarcangelo .................. 3-1 Padova-Pordenone .......................... 3-4 Sambenedettese-Modena .............. 1-1 AlbinoLeffe-Lumezzane ................... 2-0 Forli-Teramo .................................... 0-2
Roma fans stay away from derby to protest security barriers
Roma's most ardent supporters have stayed away from the derby match against Lazio in protest at barriers introduced at the start of last season in their area.
Normally filled with supporters waving huge banners, lighting flares and singing, half of the "curva sud" — southern end — of the Stadio Olimpico was left empty for yesterday's match.
Captain Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi and Alessandro Florenzi asked the supporters to return, and the club itself has also tried to resolve the matter.
But the appeals had no effect.