Rafael Leao scored as AC Milan beat Cagliari to take the top spot in Serie A.

AC Milan achieved their objective of securing all three points in a challenging away match at Cagliari's Unipol Domus stadium. Despite facing intense pressure from the home team, a timely moment of brilliance from star Rafael Leao helped Max Allegri's side triumph, officially taking the top spot in Serie A with a two-point lead over rivals Inter Milan.

The Rossoneri's deadlock at the Unipol Domus cauldron.

The match began with an unexpected scenario as Cagliari, despite being considered the underdog, took the initiative and launched an all-out attack. Spurred on by the enthusiastic home crowd, the Sardinian team dominated the game, constantly putting AC Milan's defense on high alert. Cagliari's biggest highlight in the first half was Marco Palestra, who had a brilliant performance on the right wing.

Palestra's mobility forced Milan's defender Pervis Estupinan to struggle to fend off their speedy attacks down the flanks. Meanwhile, upfront, Max Allegri's players appeared completely out of sync. Expected key players like Luka Modric and Ruben Loftus-Cheek lacked cohesion, causing Milan's attacks to frequently be broken down in the midfield. The extremely low expected goals (xG) in the first 45 minutes accurately reflected the visitors' frustration against Cagliari's disciplined play.

Rafael Leao's decisive moment

In the second half, the class of AC Milan's stars finally showed at the right moment to break the deadlock. In the 50th minute, following a powerful breakthrough by Youssouf Fofana in the midfield, the ball was passed to Adrien Rabiot. The French midfielder made a delicate move before passing the ball back to Rafael Leao, who finished with a shot.

The Portuguese star's one-touch left-footed shot sent the ball into the top corner of the net with power and precision, giving goalkeeper Elia Caprile no chance to save it. The goal not only put Milan ahead but also relieved the immense psychological pressure on the entire team after a period of inconsistent performance.

Coach Max Allegri's determination to defend his achievements.

Immediately after taking the lead, coach Max Allegri made important tactical changes to maintain the advantage. New signing Niclas Fullkrug, on loan from West Ham, made his Serie A debut when he was brought on to increase the attacking pressure. In addition, the appearance of Christian Pulisic gave Milan more options for high-speed counter-attacks.

Cagliari tried to push forward in search of an equalizer but were met with an extremely well-organized defense. The impatience of the home team's players led to many unnecessary fouls. The final minutes were incredibly tense with a series of yellow cards for Alexis Saelemaekers of Milan for time-wasting and Marco Palestra of the home team for overreacting to the referee.

Match statistics and standings

A narrow 1-0 victory propelled AC Milan to the top of the Serie A table, two points ahead of Inter Milan (who still have a game in hand). This is a crucial stepping stone for the Rossoneri in this year's fierce title race.

Here are the starting lineups for both teams in this match:

With the consistent form of key players like Leao and the flexible adjustments made by the coaching staff, AC Milan is showing the makings of a genuine title contender in Serie A this season.

Thanh Vinh