×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Milan down Fiorentina to keep Napoli at bay

Last Updated 11 April 2011, 03:17 IST

Napoli had put the pressure on Milan with their victory earlier yesterday but goals from Clarence Seedorf and Pato before half-time ensured Milan always had their destiny in their own hands before Juan Vargas's late reply.

With just six games left, Massimiliano Allegri's team are one step closer to a first title since 2004.

"We're thinking about winning every match, not just this one," Pato told SKySport.

"We're all happy, we got three important points but now we have to forget it, look at what we did wrong and go forwards."

However, the returning Zlatan Ibrahimovic, having served a two-game ban, stupidly got himself sent off late on and will again be suspended.

Milan were always in control and after Artur Boruc had saved an early shot from Seedorf, the Dutchman gave the visitors an eighth minute lead.

Ibrahimovic tried to play him in but a covering defender half cleared only for Pato to head the ball back into the danger zone where Seedorf had been left free to volley home majestically.

Pato spurned a one-on-one with Boruc moments later while up the other end Christian Abbiati had to be alert to save an Adem Ljajic shot at his near post.

But four minutes from the break, Milan hit La Viola with a rapier counter-attack as Ibrahimovic released Kevin-Prince Boateng down the right and he crossed for Pato to have the simplest of finishes.

Already it appeared to be game over but it could have been worse for Fiorentina as Ibrahimovic slotted wide when bearing down on Boruc.

However, 11 minutes from time Vargas's shot from 25 yards deflected off substitute Gennaro Gattuso and beat Abbiati.

And Milan had a nervous last few minutes when Ibrahimovic got himself a straight red card for saying something to the linesman meaning another suspension.

Earlier in the day Napoli had made light of the absence of top scorer Edinson Cavani as Giuseppe Mascara and a Marek Hamsik penalty secured three points.

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said his team simply need to concentrate on winning their games.

"We need to try to win as much as possible. Today wasn't an easy game, it was particularly hot but we did very well in the first half," he said.

"We were under the cosh at the end but that's to Bologna's credit because they kept pushing right to the end."

In a largely low-key first half, Napoli virtually sealed the three points with the only two clear chances they created.

The first came on the half hour mark but was helped in no small part by Bologna goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Cristian Maggio crossed from the right and Ezequiel Lavezzi tried a clever flicked finish between his legs that was rolling wide of the far post with two defenders covering when Viviano dived out and pushed the ball straight into the path of Mascara who shot home.

The second chance came on the stroke of half-time as Hamsik and Lavezzi both beat the offside trap, but, faced with a two-on-one against Viviano, they almost fluffed their lines.
Hamsik tried to draw the goalkeeper and set-up his strike-partner but he failed to make

Viviano commit and his pass was too soft, giving the Bologna stopper a chance to close down the Argentine.

Lavezzi tried to take the ball around him and Viviano brought him down, with a relieved Hamsik smashing home the spot-kick.

With a two-goal lead at half-time against a team that had created nothing, Napoli looked home and dry but Bologna were a transformed team after the restart.

Marco Di Vaio had three glorious chances but twice failed to hit the target and goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis saved the other.

Lazio moved back into the top four and the crucial final Champions League qualifying position with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Parma.

That took the Romans a point above Udinese, who controversially lost at home to Roma on Sunday.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 11 April 2011, 03:17 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT