AC Milan regained the lead in Serie A on Saturday afternoon. The team of coach Stefano Pioli booked an easy 2-0 win at home against the last player Salernitana. With the win, Milan has 38 points from 16 matches, two points more than pursuer Napoli, which will receive Atalanta later in the evening at home. The crucial Champions League match against Liverpool is scheduled for next Tuesday for Milan. In Group B, three teams still have a chance to qualify for the next round together with Liverpool.
Pioli chose not to take any risks with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who started on the bench against the last lap. The last time the two teams met at the highest level was almost 23 years ago. On January 31, 1999, Milan won 3-2. This time too it soon became clear that Milan was going to have a carefree evening. In the fifth minute the bench was broken by Franck Kessié, who scored diagonally after good preparatory work on the left side of Rafael Leão: 1-0. Milan had nothing to fear from the PhD student in the first half and failed to close the game before halftime.
There’s the early lead for Milan! ?? Kessié shoots in after a good move by Leão ??#ZiggoSport #SeriesA #MilanSalernitana pic.twitter.com/EIhT7FVs3d
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) December 4, 2021
After fifteen minutes of play, Brahim Díaz had the second Milanese goal on the shoe. The midfielder appeared at the second right after a cross from Alexis Saelemaekers, but came just short and saw his attempt end up in the side net. Four minutes later, Saelemaekers himself was accurate. The winger received the ball on the right side of the penalty area, turned to his left leg and shot nicely into the left corner: 2-0. After his goal, the Belgian rushed to the Milan bench, where he received a shirt from Simon Kjaer and held it up. The center defender is out of action this season due to a knee injury.
Salernitana, who started with Franck Ribéry in the base, could be grateful to Vid Belec that the score was not expanded before half time. The goalkeeper was in the way, among other things, on an attempt by Kessié, who received a deflected shot from Leão. In addition to Ibrahimovic, Leão was also given a rest by Pioli, who saw that his team continued to dominate in the second company. A shot by Alessandro Florenzi went just wide and an attempt by substitute Junior Messias was stopped by Belec. The biggest opportunity of the second half came in the name of Díaz. The Spaniard had the ball for typing after poor defense from the visitors, but missed the goal by half a meter.