Italian Serie A
BeneventoBenevento0AC MilanAC Milan2

Benevento 0-2 AC Milan: Franck Kessie & Rafael Leao send Milan back top of Serie A

Benevento boss Filippo Inzaghi (left), pictured with opposite number Stefano Pioli, won two Serie A titles and two Champions League crowns with Milan
Benevento boss Filippo Inzaghi (left), pictured with opposite number Stefano Pioli, won two Serie A titles and two Champions League crowns with Milan

AC Milan ensured city rivals Inter's stay at the top of Serie A was a brief one despite playing much of their win at Benevento with 10 men.

Franck Kessie's penalty put Milan ahead before Sandro Tonali's knee-high lunge on Artur Ionita was changed from yellow to red by the video assistant referee.

However, Rafael Leao curled in a second to move unbeaten Milan a point clear.

Benevento's Gianluca Caprari also missed a spot-kick, firing wide after being fouled by Rade Krunic.

The hosts, managed by Milan legend Filippo Inzaghi, registered 25 shots, but somehow failed to turn prolonged second-half pressure into a goal.

Keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a string of saves to keep last season's Serie B champions at bay as the visitors extended their undefeated start to the league season to 15 games before they host Juventus at the San Siro on Wednesday.

Kessie's penalty found the top corner after Alessandro Tuia's foul on Ante Rebic, who later provided the through ball for Rafael to draw keeper Lorenzo Montipo off his line and curl in from a tight angle.

Both sides hit the woodwork, Milan twice through Hakan Calhanoglu and Kessie, while Roberto Insigne struck the post for Benevento, as the visitors responded strongly to Inter's 6-2 win over Crotone which had lifted them top of the table for a couple of hours.

Line-ups

Benevento

  • 1Montipò
  • 3LetiziaSubstituted forImprotaat 39'minutes
  • 13TuiaSubstituted forFoulonat 62'minutes
  • 15Glik
  • 93Barba
  • 56HetemajSubstituted forMonciniat 45'minutes
  • 28SchiattarellaBooked at 32mins
  • 29Ionita
  • 19InsigneSubstituted forSauat 82'minutes
  • 17CaprariSubstituted forDi Serioat 81'minutes
  • 9Lapadula

Substitutes

  • 4Del Pinto
  • 6Basit
  • 8Tello
  • 12Manfredini
  • 14Dabo
  • 16Improta
  • 18Foulon
  • 20Di Serio
  • 21Moncini
  • 22Lucatelli
  • 25Sau
  • 58Pastina

AC Milan

  • 99Donnarumma
  • 2CalabriaSubstituted forContiat 81'minutes
  • 24KjaerSubstituted forKalulu Kyatengwaat 81'minutes
  • 13Romagnoli
  • 5DalotBooked at 78mins
  • 8TonaliBooked at 33mins
  • 79Kessié
  • 21DíazSubstituted forKrunicat 36'minutes
  • 10CalhanogluBooked at 41mins
  • 12RebicSubstituted forCastillejo Azuagaat 71'minutes
  • 17da Conceição LeãoBooked at 80mins

Substitutes

  • 1Tatarusanu
  • 7Castillejo Azuaga
  • 14Conti
  • 15Hauge
  • 20Kalulu Kyatengwa
  • 22Musacchio
  • 27Maldini
  • 29Colombo
  • 33Krunic
  • 43Campos Duarte da Silva
  • 90Donnarumma
  • 97Frigerio
Referee:
Fabrizio Pasqua

Match Stats

Home TeamBeneventoAway TeamAC Milan
Possession
Home61%
Away39%
Shots
Home25
Away10
Shots on Target
Home5
Away2
Corners
Home12
Away4
Fouls
Home9
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Benevento 0, Milan 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Benevento 0, Milan 2.

  3. Post update

    Pasquale Schiattarella (Benevento) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Rade Krunic (Milan).

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Daam Foulon (Benevento) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Gabriele Moncini (Benevento) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Benevento. Conceded by Andrea Conti.

  8. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Riccardo Improta (Benevento) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pasquale Schiattarella.

  9. Post update

    Marco Sau (Benevento) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Andrea Conti (Milan).

  11. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kamil Glik (Benevento) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marco Sau with a cross following a corner.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Benevento. Conceded by Alessio Romagnoli.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pasquale Schiattarella (Benevento) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marco Sau.

  14. Post update

    Artur Ionita (Benevento) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Franck Kessié (Milan).

  16. Post update

    Foul by Daam Foulon (Benevento).

  17. Post update

    Samu Castillejo (Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Federico Barba (Benevento).

  19. Post update

    Franck Kessié (Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Benevento. Conceded by Diogo Dalot.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 3rd January 2021

As It Stands

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1AC Milan15114034161837
2Inter Milan15113140192136
3Roma159333223930
4Napoli1491431131828
5Sassuolo157532722526
6Atalanta1474333211225
7Juventus1467125131225
8Hellas Verona156541914523
9Lazio156452324-122
10Benevento155371725-818
11Sampdoria155282325-217
12Udinese144461417-316
13Bologna154472127-616
14Fiorentina153661621-515
15Cagliari153572231-914
16Parma152671328-1512
17Torino152582532-711
18Spezia152581930-1111
19Genoa152581528-1311
20Crotone1523101535-209
View full Italian Serie A table

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