Pato scored a brace and threw himself cunningly to the ground to get Cristian Chivu sent off as AC Milan took charge of the Serie A title race by beating Inter 3-0 at the San Siro on Saturday.
It was Pato who was the show’s central figure as he produced two clinical finishes and a dubious fall to turn the game the way of the Rossoneri.
Substitute Antonio Cassano added a late penalty after he tumbled under a Javier Zanetti challenge.
Photo: Reuters
The result leaves Milan five points clear at the top of Serie A.
Milan got off to a flying start as Pato put them in front in the first minute.
Gennaro Gattuso played Robinho in behind Inter’s backline, and although Julio Cesar came out bravely to block, Pato was following up to slot home the loose ball.
The action was fast and furious early on with a point-blank volley from Clarence Seedorf appearing to hit Maicon’s hand in the box, but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty.
Inter had a great chance to level on 19 minutes as Pandev played in Giampaolo Pazzini, who got past his marker courtesy of a lucky bobble, only to blast his shot straight at goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
On 38 minutes, a Mark Van Bommel blast from distance took a deflection off Chivu and beat Cesar, but crashed back off the bar.
A minute later Thiago Motta headed Sneijder’s corner goalwards only for Abbiati to claw the ball away from on the line. TV replays were inconclusive, but at least three-quarters of the ball was over the line, if not more.
However, the game hinged on a decision by the referee nine minutes into the second half as Pato was sent clear and ran across Chivu before theatrically flopping to the ground.
The referee adjudged the Romanian to have brought him down despite barely a hint of contact and showed him a straight red.
Pato stayed just onside on 62 minutes with Inter’s backline stretched to head home Ignazio Abate’s cross from 5m.
Milan threatened to run riot and Cesar had to make a crucial block to deny Robinho.
Sub Ivan Cordoba then got back to deflect Robinho’s shot behind after the Brazilian over-complicated matters in dummying Cesar rather than shooting sooner.
Cesar then saved again from Robinho as he once more strayed beyond Inter’s defense.
However, the goalkeeper could do nothing about Cassano’s penalty a minute from time.
Cassano then managed to get himself sent off as he was booked twice within a minute.
In other action, Brescia downed Bologna 3-1.
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