Spanish midfielder Suso on Sunday scored a brace to end his Serie A goal drought as AC Milan got back winning ways after three consecutive draws with a 4-1 success which thwarted US Sassuolo’s bid to go second in Serie A.
Champions Juventus on Saturday had maintained their perfect start to the season with a 3-1 win in their top-of-the-table clash with SSC Napoli, who remain in second place.
Juventus, with a maximum 21 points after seven games, are six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s team as they target an eighth consecutive scudetto.
Photo: Reuters
AC Milan needed to win to avoid losing further ground on their rivals, with Inter in fourth after a 2-0 win over Cagliari and AS Roma in eighth after a 3-1 derby win which halted the four-match winning streak of city rivals SS Lazio.
“This result can help us gain confidence,” Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “When you wear the Milan jersey and work at a glorious club like this, which wants to get back to the top, there is pressure. People aren’t so much interested in performances as results and the table, but I knew this team had promise and just needed some time to grow.”
Despite the win Milan remain in 10th, four points off Inter, who occupy the final UEFA Champions League berth.
Unheralded Sassuolo dropped to fifth, equal on 13 points, but behind ACF Fiorentina and Inter on goal-difference.
“We have a lot of young and talented players, so we don’t know how far we can go, but there will inevitably be setbacks like this as part of the growth process,” Sassuolo coach Roberto de Zerbi said.
AC Milan’s victory came despite the absence of star striker Gonzalo Higuain, with forwards Patrick Cutrone and Fabio Borini also out injured.
Suso scored his first league goal since February five minutes after halftime in Reggio Emilia after Franck Kessie had put Milan ahead with a brilliant solo run on 39 minutes.
Samu Castillejo added a third on the hour mark, before Filip Djuricic pulled one back for the hosts.
Suso got his second four minutes into stoppage-time.
Elsewhere, Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek became the first Serie A debutant in 68 years to score eight goals in the opening six games when he hit a brace for Genoa in a 2-1 win over Frosinone.
Piatek got his first after 33 minutes, adding a second three minutes later.
Camillo Ciano gave promoted Frosinone their first goal of the season when he converted a penalty four minutes before halftime.
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