AC Milan 1 - 0 Juventus: Teenager Manuel Locatelli strikes as AC Milan edge out Juventus to close gap - 7M sport

AC Milan 1 - 0 Juventus: Teenager Manuel Locatelli strikes as AC Milan edge out Juventus to close gap



Posted Sunday, October 23, 2016 by PA

AC Milan 1 - 0 Juventus: Teenager Manuel Locatelli strikes as AC Milan edge out Juventus to close gap

Teenager Manuel Locatelli fired AC Milan to a hard-earned 1-0 win over Serie A leaders Juventus at the San Siro as Vincenzo Montella's young side continued their impressive start to the season.

Milan had lost their last nine matches against the Bianconeri, including last season's Coppa Italia final, but a rocket from 18-year-old midfielder Locatelli on 65 minutes proved enough to secure a first win over Juve since November 2012.

However, the outcome could have been different after a first-half free-kick from Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic was controversially disallowed for what looked a tight offside call, having initially been given by the officials.

Milan move up into second place, two points behind Juve and three ahead of Roma, who host Palermo on Sunday night.

Juventus came to the San Siro, where they had lost against Inter Milan last month, on the back of a six-game winning run.

The champions almost made a flying start when Paulo Dybala forced Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into action within the opening minute, but the forward was flagged offside, before Alex Sandro put a cross from Dani Alves wide.

In a rare moment of action at the other end, veteran Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon turned Suso's curling shot around the post before Gabriel Paletta saw a close-range effort deflected over.

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri was forced to make a change on 33 minutes when Dybala pulled up, feeling the back of his thigh. Juan Cuadrado, whose goal secured the Italians a midweek Champions League win in Lyon when down to 10 men, came on.

The match's controversial moment came on 35 minutes, when Juventus thought they had taken the lead, only to eventually see Pjanic's floated free-kick ruled out by referee Nicola Rizzoli after consulting with his assistants.

Pjanic whipped in a 25-yard free-kick delivery from just right of centre. The ball floated over the wall and into the far corner past Donnarumma, with Benatia and Leonardo Bonucci both failing to make contact as they arrived in the six-yard box.

After initially signalling for a goal, much to the protest of the Milan players, the referee eventually chalked it off for offside, which replays showed to be a marginal call against Benatia, who did not appear to be interfering with play.

Protests from the Juventus players continued as the teams left the field for half-time.

Juve threatened again at the start of the second half, as Gonzalo Higuain stabbed wide after a ball into the box from the right.

Milan, though, took the lead on 65 minutes with a superb goal from Locatelli.

The ball was worked down the right by Suso, and cut back to the teenager at the edge of the penalty area.

Locatelli, making only a second start of the season, promptly fired a rising, angled drive past Buffon, which flew in off the underside of the crossbar.

After the euphoria of such a stunning goal, Milan coach Vincenzo Montella was soon forced into a change when M'Baye Niang was forced off with an ankle problem, the French forward replaced by Andrea Poli.

Juventus struggled to impose themselves again as Milan were first to every loose ball in the closing stages.

Then, deep into five minutes of stoppage-time, Juve substitute Stefano Sturaro headed wide at the far post before, with what proved to be the last action of the match, 17-year-old Milan keeper Donnarumma produced a brilliant finger-tip save to turn over a long-range effort by Sami Khedira which looked destined for the top corner.



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