Italian giants beat Napoli 2-1; climb up to no 2 spot in serie A
AC Milan kept on Lazio's heels at the top of Serie A as they beat 10-man Napoli 2-1 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples last night.
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| Super striker! AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his goal against Napoli during their Serie A match at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples last night. Milan won 2-1. pic/afp |
Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for Milan as Michele Pazienza was sent-off for the hosts for a couple of handballs before Ezequiel Lavezzi got the consolation.
Milan now trail Lazio by just two points in second place while Napoli remain sixth.
"We exploited our numerical advantage until it was 2-0 but then we struggled with a lack of concentration and some mistakes. We're on 17 points, we've had four wins in a row," said Milan coach Massimilliano Allegri.
Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri was disappointed. "We need to forget the table. The responsibility of being near the top inhibits. We weren't us," he said.
Napoli, as ever, were slow out of the blocks and the first chance fell to Milan as Robinho's low shot was saved by Morgan De Sanctis on the quarter hour. But on 22 minutes they were ahead as Robinho played a one-two with substitute Massimo Oddo before finishing inside the far corner.
Napoli's disorganised defending was the true architect as they had seven defenders and their goalkeeper in the area but still failed to pick up the Brazilian's run.
After a goalless first half, Milan struck again. Napoli again paid for poor defending on 71 minutes as Oddo burst down the right and crossed into the centre where an unmarked Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed home from six yards out.
Then, on 78 minutes Argentine Lavezzi made it 1-2, even as sustained pressure from Napoli thereafter could not alter the result.
