Milan (AFP) – Spanish midfielder Suso scored a brace to end his Serie A goal drought as AC Milan got back winning after three consecutive draws with a 4-1 success which thwarted Sassuolo’s bid to go second in Serie A on Sunday.
Champions Juventus had maintained their perfect start to the season on Saturday with a 3-1 win in their top-of-the-table clash with Napoli who remain in second place.
Juventus, with a maximum 21 points after seven games, are six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s team as they target an eighth consecutive Scudetto.
AC Milan needed to win to avoid losing further ground on their rivals, with Inter Milan, in fourth, after a 2-0 win over Cagliari, and Roma, in eighth, after a 3-1 derby win which halted the four-match winning streak of city rivals Lazio.
“This result can help us gain confidence,” said Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso.
“When you wear the Milan jersey and work at a glorious club like this, which wants to get back to the top, there is pressure.
“People aren’t so much interested in performances as results and the table, but I knew this team had promise and just needed some time to grow.”
Despite the win Milan remain tenth in the standings, four points off Inter Milan, who occupy the final Champions League berth.
Unheralded Sassuolo — a surprise high flyer early this season — dropped to fifth, equal on 13 points but behind Fiorentina and Inter Milan on goal difference.
“We have a lot of young and talented players, so we don’t know how far we can go, but there will inevitably be setbacks like this as part of the growth process,” said Sassuolo coach Roberto De Zerbi.
AC Milan’s victory came despite the absence of star striker Gonzalo Higuain with forwards Patrick Cutrone and Fabio Borini also out injured.
Suso scored his first league goal since February five minutes after the break in Modena after Ivorian Franck Kessie had put Milan ahead with a brilliant solo run on 39 minutes.
Samu Castillejo added a third on the hour mark before Filip Djuricic pulled one back for the hosts.
Suso got his second goal four minutes into stoppage time after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR).
– Fiorentina move third –
Sassuolo’s defeat allowed Fiorentina to move third with a 2-0 win over Atalanta.
Bergamo-based Atalanta travelled to Fiorentina’s Artemio Franchi stadium desperate to end a five-game winless streak.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2y12mG4
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