AC Milan eased the pressure on coach Massimiliano Allegri with a 1-0 win over Juventus on Sunday, inflicting the Serie A leaders’ second defeat in quick succession thanks to a controversial Robhino penalty.
The loss came three weeks after Juve’s 49-match unbeaten run ended with a 3-1 home defeat by archrivals Inter.
For AC Milan, the win completed an impressive week in which the Rossoneri also sealed qualification for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Photo: EPA
Former Milan striker Marco van Basten was a guest of honor at the San Siro, though not, according to club vice president Adriano Galliani, with an eye on replacing Allegri.
An unconventional front three of Robinho, Stephan El Shaarawy and Kevin-Prince Boateng, pushed up from midfield, combined well to inspire Milan’s win.
Juventus found it difficult to deal with Milan’s pressing play and went behind just before the half-hour mark when the ball appeared to strike Mauricio Isla’s outstretched arm from Antonio Nocerino’s header, although replays suggested it hit the Chilean’s body.
Photo: AFP
Robinho stepped up to score, despite goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon getting both hands to the ball.
The visitors were slow to react, with too many misplaced passes and errors allowing Milan to control the game.
Juve began to turn up the pressure later in the second half, with substitute Sebastian Giovinco, on for Fabio Quagliarella, going close with an overhead-kick from Simone Padoin’s cross in the 62nd minute, but their lack of physical presence up front made life easier for the Milan back four.
The Italian champions attacked in numbers as the game entered its final stages, but Milan were increasingly happy to defend deep and try to catch Juve on the break.
It was a risky strategy and the home side lived dangerously at times, but worked hard to take all three points, putting a dent in Juve’s title challenge and providing a possible platform for Milan to build on in the run-up to the winter break.
Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio bemoaned his side’s failure to match Milan’s work-rate.
“When we don’t play as a team, we suffer and we lose, like we did tonight,” Alessio told Sky Italia.
Earlier, Mounir El Hamdaoui came off the bench to score a late equalizer for ACF Fiorentina at Torino, with a 2-2 draw enough to lift the Tuscans up to joint second in the table.
The hosts took the lead five minutes from the break after Alessio Cerci got himself on the end of a low Danilo D’Ambrosio cross, with Riccardo Meggiorini’s dummy fooling the Fiorentina defense.
Fiorentina came alive in the second half, but with talisman Stevan Jovetic still out injured and Luca Toni in the treatment room following a nasty collision with defender Kamil Glik, Torino were able to weather the storm.
The visitors drew level from the penalty-spot in the 75th minute after D’Ambrosio upended Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, with Gonzalo Rodriguez converting.
However, just a minute later Torino were back in front, Valter Birsa’s cross tricking everyone and ending up in the net.
Former Ajax striker El Hamdaoui equalized with pretty much his first touch of the game, turning and shooting in one movement, hitting an angled shot past Jean-Francois Gillet.
“It was a good game, very open. Both teams gave it a go and deserved to win. On balance it was the right result,” Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella told RAI television. “I was a little happier in the second half than the first. We reacted with a maturity, with personality and quality.”
Elsewhere, Mattia Destro scored only his second goal for AS Roma since arriving from Genoa during the close season, helping the Giallorossi to a 1-0 victory at Delfino Pescara 1936, a win that takes the capital club up to joint fifth.
The big shock of the day was Genoa’s 1-0 win at Atalanta BC thanks to Andrea Bertolacci’s first-half goal for the lowly visitors. Fellow strugglers AC Siena drew 0-0 at AC Chievo Verona.
UC Sampdoria continued their revival with a useful 1-0 win at home to Bologna, Andrea Poli netting the winner.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely