AC Milan v Lecce live – Serie A latest as Rossoneri cruise towards ...

6 Apr 2024

BT.com

Updated 06/04/2024 at 15:00 GMT

PULISIC SPARKS VICTORY FOR IN-FORM MILAN

AC Milan may not quite be in a title race, but they are the form team of Serie A. Milan’s comfortable 3-0 win over Lecce was their fifth in a row in the league and their seventh consecutive victory in all competitions.

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A fast start, with goals in the opening 20 minutes from Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud, allowed Milan to cruise through the game and keep one eye on their upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Roma.

Milan blew a 2-0 lead in the return fixture in November, with Lecce coming back to draw 2-2, but any hopes of a repeat were dashed when Nikola Krstrovic was given a straight red card on the stroke of half-time for a high challenge on Samuel Chukwueze.

The second half was a largely low-key affair, though there was a degree of controversy when Rafa Leao scored Milan’s third despite Pontus Almqvist being down with a potential head injury.

Milan’s victory moves them nine points clear of third-placed Juventus, who host Fiorentina tomorrow. They are still 11 points behind the leaders Internazionale, who are closing in on another title, and it will take a miracle for Milan to win the league. Staying top of the form table – and continuing their winning run in the Europa League – is the best they can do.

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A springtime stroll for Milan, who consolidate second place with their fifth consecutive victory in Serie A.

FOUR MINUTES OF ADDED TIME

The match was over before half-time, really, and the second half has been a quiet affair.

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A crisp long-range drive from Pierotti is chested behind by Maignan, a peculiar but effective save.

85'

Santiago Pierotti for Patrick Dorgu.

ANOTHER SAVE FROM FALCONE

Leao's deflected cross is pushed round the near post by the sprawling Falcone.

83'

Filippo Terracciano comes on for Theo Hernandez.

Jovic makes a good run into the area, onto Chukwueze's clever reverse pass, and has a shot blocked by the outrushing Falcone. The ball loops up and Jovic stretches a leg around Pongracic to poke it towards goal, but Gendrey is on the line to clear.

78'

Ismael Bennacer is on for Tijjani Reijnders.

77'

Meanwhile, Chukwueze has been booked for something or other.

Out of nothing Lecce break three on three, and Almqvist - who has played well since coming on - forced a decent save from Maignan with a shot from a tight angle.

ALL OVER BAR THE SHOOTING

The game is starting to wind down, with both teams knowing the result is set in stone. Milan don't want any injuries before they play Roma on Thursday; Lecce don't want to suffer an even heavier defeat.

70'

Valentin Gendrey is on for Lorenzo Venuti, who has probably had enough of chasing Rafa Leao.

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In other news, Giroud has an icepack on his left knee, which is a worry for Milan ahead of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final against Roma.

Another effort from Hernandez, this time a free-kick from about 25 yards. Falcone falls to his left to make a relatively comfortable save.

He slipped as he was running with the ball and put too much of his body weight in the wrong direction. That looked fairly unpleasant, though he seems okay to continue.

A cracking effort from Theo Hernandez, who curls a booming left-foot shot from 25 yards that beats the flying Falcone and thumps off the crossbar.

62'

Yunus Musah, Luka Jovic and Simon Kjaer come on for Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud and Matteo Gabbia.

HALF CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS

Almqvist's header from a very tight angle is saved by Maignan, then Giroud screws a shot into the side netting after running onto a pass from Leao.

Lecce are very unhappy because they thought Almqvist was fouled by Hernandez in the penalty area. They might have a case - Hernandez shoulder-charged Almqvist aggressively to the floor and then whacked him in the head (probably accidentally. Probably) as he ran to collect the loose ball.

VAR had a look but decided to stay with the on-field decision. Play shouldn't have been allowed to continue because Almqvist was down with a potential head injury. That, however, is not in VAR's purview.

57'

GOAL! AC Milan 3-0 Lecce (Leao)

And it's goodnight from Lecce. Moments after Lecce had a penalty appeal turned down following a robust challenge by Theo Hernandez on Almqvist, Rafa Leao put Milan 3-0 up. He ran onto a long, straight pass from Adli, had too much pace for Venuti and finished calmly past Falcone with his left foot.

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