Milan (AFP) – AC Milan got back to winning ways in Serie A on Sunday as second half goals from Patrick Cutrone and Franck Kessie saw them come from behind to beat promoted Parma 2-1 and move fourth ahead of Lazio who were held 1-1 at bottom club Chievo.
Gennaro Gattuso’s Milan side fell 2-0 to Juventus and were held 1-1 by Lazio in their previous two league games, but the win at the San Siro takes them fourth one point ahead of the Romans who rescued a point in Verona thanks to a second-half Ciro Immobile goal.
It was a hard-fought victory for Milan, days after competing in the Europa League and with a number of players missing.
Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia Caldara, Lucas Biglia and Giacomo Bonaventura are all injured, with Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain suspended.
“This is a precious win because we played against a team who can trouble you in every moment,” said Gattuso.
“This team is incredible, the boys always show grit, determination and sense of belonging. They are giving their all, it’s easy to coach a group like that.”
Roberto Inglese nodded in his fourth goal this season for Parma from a corner five minutes after the break but Milan pulled one back six minutes later thanks to Cutrone volleying home.
Kessie slotted in Milan’s second from the spot on 71 minutes after Alessandro Bastoni was deemed after consultation with VAR to have handled the ball.
“It’s disappointing to come home with zero points despite having played well,” said Parma coach Roberto D’Aversa.
Parma drop to eighth and are now five points behind AC Milan who occupy the final Champions League berth.
– Immobile rescues Lazio –
In Verona, Immobile grabbed a point for Lazio against a Chievo side still looking for their first win of the season, but who held Napoli 0-0 last weekend.
Chievo captain Sergio Pellissier, 39, opened for the hosts after 25 minutes, as Lazio were unable to turn their domination into goals.
Italy forward Immobile finally broke through after 66 minutes for his ninth goal of the season following a one-two with Argentine Joaquin Correa.
Immobile rattled the bar ten minutes later but Simone Inzaghi’s side were unable to to find the three points and drop to fifth.
Earlier Torino — with coach Walter Mazzarri back on the bench after a health scare — rallied past 10-man Genoa 2-1 to move sixth and the Europa League places.
Sassuolo dropped out of the European places following a goalless draw at Udinese while Cagliari earned a point with a 1-1 draw at second-from-bottom Frosinone.
Champions Juventus pulled 11 points clear on Saturday with a 3-0 win at Fiorentina, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring from the spot to bag his 10th goal in 14 games and move joint top of the Serie A scorers with Genoa’s Krzysztof Piatek.
Later Sunday Inter Milan, a point behind Napoli in third, will look to pile the pressure on Champions League-chasing Roma, who have dropped to seventh after a run of poor form.
Second-placed Napoli travel to Atalanta on Monday.
