Leão Strikes as Milan Edge Closer to Summit
Key Takeaways
- • Rafael Leão's second-half strike secured a crucial 1-0 victory for AC Milan
- • The Rossoneri enjoyed 54.1% possession and dominated with 11 shots to Cagliari's six
- • Milan's win keeps them within striking distance of leaders Napoli in second place
Players in this Match
The breakthrough arrived five minutes into the second half, and it was worth the wait. Rafael Leão, lurking in the centre of the box, met Adrien Rabiot's perfectly weighted cross with a thunderous left-footed strike that arrowed into the top left corner. Elia Caprile, rooted to his line, could only watch as the net rippled. The Portuguese winger wheeled away in celebration, his moment of brilliance proving the difference in a tightly contested tactical battle.
Milan had threatened before the interval. Ruben Loftus-Cheek headed narrowly wide from Alexis Saelemaekers' cross in the 49th minute, while Adrien Rabiot saw his header from a corner sail just over the bar. Cagliari's best chance fell to Luca Mazzitelli, whose left-footed effort from inside the box whistled agonisingly wide in the 41st minute. The hosts showed flashes of danger through Sebastiano Esposito and Semih Kılıçsoy, but clear-cut opportunities remained elusive.
The visitors controlled proceedings with authority, enjoying 54.1% possession and creating more chances throughout. Milan registered 11 shots compared to Cagliari's six, with four finding the target to the hosts' solitary effort. Caprile was forced into three saves to keep his side within touching distance, while Mike Maignan needed just one intervention at the other end. The Rossoneri also edged the corner count 7-6, though neither side could capitalise from set pieces.
The tactical battle saw Youssouf Fofana dictate tempo in midfield, winning crucial duels against Marco Palestra and Matteo Prati. Fikayo Tomori stood firm at the back, snuffing out Cagliari's counter-attacks with composed defending. Sebastiano Luperto battled valiantly for the hosts, winning several aerial duels against Leão and Loftus-Cheek, but the Rossoneri's quality ultimately told.
The turning point came in the 83rd minute when substitute Riyad Idrissi picked up a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Saelemaekers. The foul disrupted Cagliari's momentum as they pushed desperately for an equaliser. Stoppage time descended into chaos, with both Saelemaekers and Palestra receiving yellow cards in the 91st minute. Milan held firm through five nervy additional minutes to seal all three points.
Looking ahead, Cagliari will host Cremonese on January 8, desperately seeking three points to climb away from the relegation conversation, while AC Milan will welcome Genoa on the same day, aiming to maintain pressure on the summit.