{"id":7455,"date":"2023-09-24T19:59:07","date_gmt":"2023-09-24T19:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/leao-fires-milan-past-verona-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-09-24T19:59:07","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T19:59:07","slug":"leao-fires-milan-past-verona-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/leao-fires-milan-past-verona-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Leao fires Milan past Verona | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nMILAN:
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Rafael Leao ended a difficult week with the only goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Verona which drew AC Milan level with Serie A leaders Inter Milan<\/a>, while Juventus fell to their first defeat of the season, 4-2 at Sassuolo.<\/p>\n

Portugal winger Leao netted his third goal in as many league matches in the eighth minute at a sodden San Siro to move Milan up to second on 12 points from five games.<\/p>\n

Leao’s<\/a> winner was one of the few highlights of a largely uninspiring performance from a much-changed Milan side missing injured captain Davide Calabria and France pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez.<\/p>\n

But it was a welcome three points after being destroyed by local rivals Inter last weekend and failing to capitalise on their dominance in Tuesday’s Champions League stalemate with Newcastle United.<\/p>\n

Milan’s star man Leao, wearing the skipper’s armband in Calabria’s absence, answered some of his critics following poor displays in both of those matches, even becoming a figure of fun for falling over his own feet while trying to backheel in a goal against Newcastle.<\/p>\n

“He just needs to keep going and realise that when you become a great player you need to overcome or at least deal with a lot of pressure,” said Milan coach Stefano Pioli.<\/p>\n

Kick-off was delayed by nearly half an hour due to a sudden hailstorm which battered Milan, and the away fans then ruined the pre-match minute’s silence in honour of former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, who died aged 98 on Friday.<\/p>\n

Juventus are two points behind the Milan clubs in fourth after falling to an awful, error-strewn defeat at Sassuolo.<\/p>\n

Andrea Pinamonti’s fourth goal of the season in the 82nd minute, after Wojciech Szczesny patted out Armand Lauriente’s shot to the Italy international, and a stoppage time Federico Gatti own goal made sure of the points for Sassuolo just as Juve looked set for a grandstand finish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n