Japanese international Keisuke Honda scored a late free kick to help seal the points for AC Milan in a 2-0 win over Chievo at the San Siro on Saturday, as the Rossoneri ended their three-game winless run.
Milan hosted the Verona-based side looking to return to winning ways after two draws, against Cesena and Empoli, and a 1-0 home defeat to Juventus last month.
A mishit volley from Sulley Muntari gave Milan the lead 10 minutes after the restart.
Photo: EPA
As Chievo pressed for a late equalizer, Honda settled nerves with a well-struck curler that beat Chievo goalkeeper Francesco Bardi at his near post in the 78th minute.
Milan’s third win of the season moved them up to provisional fifth place, four points behind leaders Juventus, who hosted second-placed Roma in a top-of-the-table clash in Turin yesterday.
Rossoneri coach Filippo Inzaghi gave Fernando Torres his full debut at the San Siro, but it was a frustrating night for the former Chelsea striker, who was replaced by Stephan El Sharaawy with about 15 minutes remaining.
Torres saw an early chance go wide when his first-timer from Honda’s lay-off came off the foot of Giacomo Bonaventura to sail just wide, but chances were few and far between for the Spaniard.
Milan finally found their rhythm after the opening quarter hour and Honda came close when he curled a left-foot shot wide of Bardi’s near post.
Chievo pressed for the remainder of the half, but Eugenio Corini’s men ultimately failed to threaten Christian Abbiati in the Milan net.
Milan resumed in positive fashion after the interval and Bardi had to react quickly to Jeremy Menez’s drive from a tight angle to the left of Chievo’s goal.
Two minutes later, the ‘keeper was left clutching at thin air when Honda set up Muntari for Milan’s opener. The 28-year-old’s cross from the right of the area was headed out into the path of the Ghanaian international, whose mishit shot bounced up and over Bardi and into the back of the net.
Menez found space on 67 minutes to test Bardi with an angled drive that came off the ‘keeper’s face, and two minutes later a low-angled drive from the Frenchman was blocked by Ervin Zukanovic and bounced into the path of Torres, who missed the target.
Chievo were given brief hope when Muntari was dispossessed in midfield, but Dejan Lazarevic failed to capitalize, despite having options to his right with striker Maxi Lopez lurking close to goal.
Torres’ frustrating night ended 15 minutes from the end, when he made way for El Shaarawy, who made an almost immediate impact.
The Milan striker was brought down by Isaac Cofie while on a winding run down the left, and Honda stepped up to send a precise free kick over the defensive wall and past Bardi to seal the points for the hosts.
Earlier, Greek international Panagiotis Tachtsidis struck late to secure a 1-0 win over visitors Cagliari and hand Verona their third win of the season.
At the tail end of what was a highly entertaining encounter at the Bentegodi Stadium, Tachtsidis met a cross from the right with a left-footed half-volley that beat Alessio Cragno in the Cagliari goal in the 89th minute.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two