Giroud returns Milan to winning ways with much needed victory

Mueez Ajao

– AC Milan ended a seven-game winless run as Olivier Giroud’s goal gave them a home Serie A victory over Torino.

– Giroud scored a glancing header from Theo Hernandez’s cross from the left.

– Hernandez had a great opportunity to score a second for Milan but dragged a shot wide from Rafael Leao’s pass following a quick counter-attack.

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– The visitors had the better chances of the first half but Antonio Sanabria fired off target and twice had efforts saved by goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.

– Milan play Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Italy on Tuesday, with the second leg in London on 8 March.

– The reigning Italian champions named 41-year-old striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had knee surgery last summer, among their substitutes for the first time this season.

– But he was not needed as Stefano Pioli’s side got the win to move up from sixth from third, although they are still 15 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.

– Milan had not won since beating Salernitana 2-1 on 4 January, and had lost four successive matches going into this game at the San Siro.

– Their winless run had included a 1-0 home loss to Torino in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia, a 3-0 defeat by Inter Milan in the Italian Super Cup and embarrassing 4-0 and 5-2 Serie A losses to Lazio and Sassuolo respectively.