AC Milan defeats Napoli in Serie A

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    AC Milan broke their Napoli hoodoo with a well-worked goal by Theo Hernandez on Rafael Leao’s assist, which proved enough as they secured a significant victory.
    Stefano Pioli’s men hold on to the end, though there were some late scares at San Siro.
    Apart from their win in the Champions League quarter-final last season, Napoli were unbeaten here in Serie A since December 2014, winning their last three in a row.
    The visitors got a huge early opportunity as Kvaratskhelia rolled across from the right, only for Giovanni Simeone to fire off target from close range.
    Milan broke through with a well-worked move that Theo Hernandez started from midfield. The left-back released Olivier Giroud before Rafael Leao made the slide-rule assist to release him as he beat Pierluigi Gollini at the near post.
    Rafael Leao then tried to make it two with a right-foot curler from a distance that Gollini flew to palm away from the far top corner.
    Milan had to replace Davide Calabria after he pulled up with a muscular problem. Alessandro Florenzi replaced him.
    In the right place, Adli intercepted the pull-back after Kvaratskhelia twice turned Simon Kjaer to reach the by-line.
    Despite Napoli making a change and introducing Matteo Politano for Leo Ostigard, as they returned to a 4-3-3 in the second half, they couldn’t get a point from the game.
    Florenzi’s deflected strike almost beat Gollini, but he ensured Giroud didn’t pounce on the loose ball.
    Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s call for a penalty went on deaf ears after he was down in the box under an Amir Rrahmani nudge on the Leao assist. The referee who was there waved play on.
    After Bennacer and Leao blasted their efforts off target, Simeone again failed to make the most of a gift of a misplaced Bennacer pass by firing over the bar.
    Politano had a chance to level matters for the visitors with a left-foot curler that skimmed the far post with Mike Maignan scrambling across.
    Mattia Gabbia was also in an excellent position to prevent Giacomo Raspadori from meeting the Pasquale Mazzocchi volleyed assist.
    Leao failed to hit the target again as his effort bent past the far post.
    After Loftus-Cheek threw himself in the way of a Politano strike after good work from Matheus Olivera, Napoli had a substantial double opportunity at the dying minute but failed to capitalize.
    First, Jan Simic almost scored an own goal when he deflected the Jesper Lindstrom effort onto the upright, and then Maignan flew to palm the Politano follow-up over the bar.

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