Magical Milan wins in style as Roma resistance crumbles
AC Milan turned on the style and dismantled a disappointing to claim a 3-1 victory at home and maintain third place in Serie A.
The French connection of Yacine Adli, Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernandez were the goalscorers, with Giroud also providing a sensational backheel-nutmeg assist for Hernandez, who rifled home an unstoppable shot that crashed in off the crossbar to seal the result.
Milan broke the deadlock after 11 minutes when Adli received the ball just outside the box, cleverly sent his marker for dinner, and drove home between two other defenders it into the bottom corner as they desperately slide across in front of him.
Giroud doubled the lead for the hosts after 56 minutes with a simple header from point-blank range.
Roma improved slightly after the break, and when Leandro Paredes converted a 69th-minute penalty after Davide Calabria's trip on Lorenzo Pellegrini, hopes were raised briefly for the the visitors, but Milan secured the win with Hernandez's goal six minutes from time.
Milan is still some way off top spot, nine points behind leader Inter Milan, and it is also four behind second-placed Juventus, which hosts Sassuolo on Wednesday and could stretch that gap to seven again with a victory. Roma, meanwhile, is struggling to keep pace and is ninth on 29 points.