Milan clinch 2-1 win with two quick-fire goals in rainy Genoa clash
GENOA, Italy :AC Milan secured a 2-1 victory over Genoa in a rainy Monday Serie A clash, with a rapid second-half turnaround driven by Rafael Leao's equaliser and an own goal from Morten Frendrup.
The result keep Milan at ninth place with 57 points, six points behind fourth-placed Juventus, who occupy the last Champions League spot, with three rounds remaining.
With crucial back-to-back clashes against Bologna looming -first in the league followed by the Coppa Italia final - Milan appeared passive for much of the match, lacking urgency and creativity until a late surge turned the tide.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was the stand out performer in a first half largely dominated by Genoa, making several crucial saves to keep his side level at the break.
Milan began to find their rhythm late in the first half and nearly took the lead just before the break, but Christian Pulisic was denied at point-blank range by a sharp save from Genoa keeper Nicola Leali.
The second half started in a largely uninspired fashion, with the relentless downpour proving more consistent than the football, as play was frequently halted for injury treatments.
Vitinha, introduced only a minute earlier, made an instant impact in the 61st minute, drifting into space inside the box and smashing home a perfectly delivered cross with his first touch to put Genoa in front.
A fortunate equaliser from Leao came in the 76th minute, when a low cross from the byline by Santiago Gimenez wrong-footed the Genoa defence and found the Portuguese forward unmarked in the box; his shot took a deflection off Genoa's Brooke Norton-Cuffy before nestling in the net to level the score.
Less than two minutes later, Milan completed the turnaround when Genoa midfielder Frendrup, attempting to clear a short cross, inadvertently tapped the ball into his own net.
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