Mueez Ajao
– AC Milan closed the gap on Serie A leaders Inter Milan to a point after a home win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
– The hosts took an eighth-minute lead when Olivier Giroud converted a penalty following a handball by former Chelsea team-mate Tammy Abraham.
– Milan made it 2-0 with Junior Messias’ follow-up after Giroud hit the post.
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– England striker Abraham pulled one back, steering in Lorenzo Pellegrini’s shot, but substitute Rafael Leao broke clear to score Milan’s third goal.
– Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a chance to add a fourth in injury time, but saw his penalty, awarded after Leao had been brought down by Gianluca Mancini, saved by ex-Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
– Mancini was shown his second yellow card for the challenge as Roma ended the game with nine men – right wing-back Rick Karsdorp had been sent off for two bookable offences in the 74th minute.
– Abraham, who has now scored 13 goals for Roma in all competitions since his £34m move from Chelsea in August, had a chance to make it 2-2 in the second half but his shot from 22 yards was superbly pushed wide by home goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
– The victory leaves Milan second on 45 points from 20 matches, after Inter’s game at Bologna was cancelled amid farcical scenes earlier on Thursday.
– Bologna were banned from playing by their local health authority, but with Serie A refusing to cancel matches, Inter were forced to turn up and train before the game, as normal.
– Roma, seventh in Serie A, are 14 points behind Inter and this was their first loss in five matches in all competitions.
– Both Brahim Diaz and Alessandro Florenzi also hit the crossbar for Milan, who are hoping to win the Italian title for the first time since 2010-11.
