Leao scored, AC Milan beat Lazio 1-0, temporarily taking the lead.
In the 51st minute, Tomori crossed the ball for Rafael Leao to finish from close range, securing a 1-0 victory for AC Milan against Lazio. Maignan made several consecutive saves, VAR denied a late penalty, and coach Allegri received a red card.
Rafael Leao sealed the victory in the 51st minute with a decisive finish from inside the penalty area after a cross from Fikayo Tomori, giving AC Milan a 1-0 win over Lazio and temporarily putting them at the top of Serie A, one point ahead of AS Roma and with a game in hand. Earlier, Mike Maignan kept Milan's composure with some spectacular saves; at the end of the match, VAR denied Lazio a penalty due to a handball by a Milan player, while Lazio coach Massimiliano Allegri and an assistant received red cards for protesting.
Key moments: from Maignan's saves to Leao's shot.
The first half started in a rather unpleasant way for the home team. In the 2nd minute, Lazio nearly opened the scoring when Mario Gila headed in from close range following a free kick from Basic, forcing Maignan to handle the ball and hit the crossbar. In the 9th minute, Modric made a mistake with a header in the penalty area, sending the ball to Isaksen's feet, but the Danish striker shot over the bar.
The pressure continued to mount on Milan's goal. In the 32nd minute, Mattia Zaccagni dribbled past Tomori and shot from a tight angle, but Maignan made another save. Milan were largely ineffective for most of the first half despite having equal possession; their clearest chance came in the 42nd minute when Bartesaghi crossed for Nkunku to head back, creating an opportunity for Tomori to volley inside the penalty area, but the ball went wide of the post and Leao inadvertently blocked the shot.
At the start of the second half, Lazio continued to create chances: in the 48th minute, Isaksen sprinted down the right wing and crossed the ball for Zaccagni to shoot, but Tomori managed to clear the ball off the goal line. Just three minutes later, the situation reversed: in the 51st minute, Fofana combined well on the right wing and threaded a pass to Tomori, who delivered a precise cross for Leao to neatly tap the ball in. That was Leao's fifth goal in Serie A this season, and Tomori recorded his first assist.
Milan tried to finish the game. In the 55th minute, Fofana made a powerful run from midfield, beating two Lazio players, but slipped on his shot. In the 63rd minute, Bartesaghi delivered a cross for Leao to head from close range, but goalkeeper Provedel made a spectacular save. Lazio responded in the 71st minute when Castellanos broke free to receive a long pass from Pellegrini and shot from about 8 meters, but Maignan still made an excellent save.
The drama unfolded in injury time of the second half: a Milan player handled the ball in the penalty area, but after consulting VAR, the referee did not award Lazio a penalty. The controversy resulted in Lazio coach Allegri and an assistant receiving red cards.
Tactical angle: when the right wing unlocks the system
For the first 30 minutes, Lazio proactively pressed and counter-attacked quickly, making it difficult for Milan to build up play through the middle. A crucial adjustment for the home team after the break was shifting their focus to the right wing: Fofana consistently dribbled the ball, drawing defenders and creating space for Tomori to surge forward. The goal originated from this very channel, as Tomori made a run down the right flank to create a 2-on-1 situation before crossing the ball to Leao.
In his own half, Maignan was the decisive shield with at least two spectacular saves in the first half and another reflex save in the 71st minute. On a day when Milan's attack only truly found its edge in the second half, the French goalkeeper set the tempo and allowed Milan to wait for the single opportunity that Leao capitalized on.
Selective statistics
- Milan had no shots on target in the first half; the first goal came in the 51st minute.
- Rafael Leao has increased his Serie A goal tally this season to 5.
- Fikayo Tomori recorded his first assist of the season.
- Maignan made at least two spectacular saves in the first half and another crucial block in the 71st minute.
Featured timeline
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 2' | Mario Gila headed the ball from close range, but Maignan's touch hit the crossbar. |
| 9' | Modric's header was inaccurate, and Isaksen's shot went over the crossbar. |
| 32' | Zaccagni shoots from a tight angle, Maignan makes the save. |
| 42' | Tomori's volley went wide of the post after a one-two pass from Nkunku. |
| 48' | Tomori made a crucial clearance to save Zaccagni's shot. |
| 51' | Tomori provided the assist, and Leao tapped in the winning goal to make it 1-0. |
| 63' | Provedel saves Leao's close-range header. |
| 71' | Maignan comfortably saved Castellanos' close-range shot. |
| 90+' | VAR denied Lazio a penalty due to a handball; red cards were shown to coach Allegri and a Lazio assistant. |
Impact on the rankings
The victory puts AC Milan temporarily at the top of Serie A, one point ahead of AS Roma and with a game in hand. Lazio missed the opportunity to close the gap on the leading group. In the overall picture, the contributions of Maignan and Leao secured the maximum three points for Milan in a tense match decided by a single moment and crucial defensive plays.
