Lazio-Milan 1-0
GOAL: 26′ pt Isaksen.
LAZIO (4-3-3): Motta 6; Marusic 6.5, Gila 6.5, Provstgaard 6, Tavares 7; Dele-Bashiru 6, Patric 6, Taylor 7 (45′ st Belahyane sv); Isaksen 7.5 (22′ st Pedro 6), Maldini 6.5 (22′ st Dia 6), Zaccagni 5 (38′ st Cancellieri sv). On the bench: Furlanetto, Giacomone, Pellegrini, Noslin, Ratkov, Hysaj, Przyborek, Lazzari. Coach: Sarri 6.5.
MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan 6; Tomori 5.5 (12′ st Athekame 6), De Winter 5.5, Pavlovic 6; Saelemaekers 5 (39′ st Ricci sv), Fofana 6 (21′ st Nkunku 6), Modric 6, Jashari 4.5, Estupinan 3.5 (12′ st Bartesaghi 6); Pulisic 5.5, Leao 4 (21′ st Fullkrug 5.5). On the bench: Terracciano, Pittarella, Odogu. Coach: Allegri 5.
REFEREE: Torre Annunziata Guide 5.
NOTES: peaceful evening; playing field in excellent condition. Expelled: Sarri, in the 52nd minute, for protests. Booked: Estupinan, Motta, Tavares, Pedro, Patric. Corners: 9-1 for Milan. Recovery: 1′; 8′.
Milan did not take advantage of Inter’s slowdown and lost at Lazio, who found their fans again for one night and who celebrated for the second time in a row for the first time in the season, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Isaksen. Sarri has to do without Romagnoli and Cataldi: room for Provstgaard and Patric, while the Isaksen-Maldini-Zaccagni trident is confirmed in attack. The young Motta is in goal. Allegri, however, proposes Jashari as the starter, in place of the suspended Rabiot. Lazio started better, with Isaksen confirming himself as one of his best in the last period and immediately putting the derby match-winner Estupinan in difficulty, while Milan responded with a dangerous incursion from Pavlovic, who was still offside. The first real scoring opportunity came in the 12th minute with Taylor who, from a few meters away, unloaded his left-footed shot and hit the crossbar. The Rossoneri came close to scoring in the 23rd minute with Estupinan’s header, which anticipated Isaksen but sent it just wide. After another crossbar hit by Taylor, the goal that unlocks the match arrives in the 26th minute: Marusic throws deep for Isaksen, who wins yet another physical duel with Estupinan and beats Maignan.
Ten minutes later, a similar action sees Maldini physically resist De Winter, but his right foot is weak and easy prey for Maignan. Despite the poor collective performance in the first half, Allegri decided not to make any changes at half-time. The first chance of the second half was for the Rossoneri, with Motta first clearing Pulisic well and then finding the ball in his hands following a weak, central header from Fofana. Lazio shows up with a powerful cross from Dele-Bashiru which no teammates reach; then the action continues and Estupinan, in an attempt to head the ball to Maignan, risks a sensational own goal. In the 66th minute, Leao reacted badly to the substitution, with Allegri bringing on Fullkrug and Nkunku in place of the Portuguese and Fofana. In the 75th minute, following a corner kick, Athekame found the way to the goal, but it was canceled out due to a previous touch from the same defender. The minutes pass, Lazio drops but Milan doesn’t sting and the result doesn’t change anymore: the Olimpico celebrates, but Inter also breathes a sigh of relief, which is now +8 on its cousins, increasingly at the top of the Serie A table.