AC Milan follows Leao’s goal to beat Lazio 1-0 to storm the top of Serie A

AC Milan recorded a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Lazio thanks to Rafael Leao’s goal early in the second half to take the provisional lead at the top of Serie A on Saturday.

The win took Milan to 28 points, one point clear of second-placed AS Roma, before they host third-placed Napoli, the defending champions, on December 5. Lazio is eighth with 18 points.

Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced a moment of brilliance inside two minutes when he somehow palmed away Mario Gila’s point-blank header with a fingertip save.

Despite the intense start, the first half produced few clear opportunities. Maignan repeatedly suppressed Lazio’s early attacks with solid saves, while Milan created only a handful of half-chances, leaving the teams goalless into halftime.

However, the host came out with renewed vigor after the break. A well-executed move released Fikayo Tomori on the right, allowing him to drive in a low cross that Leao met with a sliding finish six minutes into the second half.

Lazio struggled to halt Milan’s momentum, and only a sharp save from goalkeeper Ivan Provedel prevented Leao from doubling his tally moments later with a powerful header.

Although the final phase was more evenly matched, neither side created a decisive chance. Tensions rose in the final seconds as Lazio called for a penalty after a last-ditch effort, believing Strahinja Pavlovic could have cleared a cross.

Milan manager Max Allegri was sent off for protesting the referee’s assessment of the incident on the VAR monitor as he appeared to express his frustration too strongly. Lazio assistant manager Marco Ianni was fired seconds later for dissent.

Finally, relief erupted in the stadium when referee Giuseppe Collu disallowed a penalty, ruling that Pavlovic had made the first mistake. The match ended shortly afterwards, after almost 14 minutes of injury time.

Published on November 30, 2025