Rafael Leao, a striker for AC Milan, scored twice to help his team defeat league-leading Napoli 4-0 on the road on Sunday. Stefano Pioli’s team moved up to third place in the rankings as a result.
Milan has 51 points, one more than Inter Milan in fourth position and four more than Lazio in second place. Napoli leads the pack by 20 points.
Pioli told reporter, “This is a wonderful triumph, but it’s only one match. There are nine more Serie A games where we must have the same approach because we’ve missed opportunities in the past and we can’t do it again.
The first of three contests between the clubs was the game. They will also compete against one another in the Champions League quarterfinals later this month.
While the Champions League would be a new experience, environment, and everything, Pioli continued, “Whatever the result this evening, it would not effect the Champions League. It will enable us to study this match and evaluate where we did well or could’ve done better.”
After 17 minutes, the visitors seized the lead when Leao took a touch and skillfully chipped the ball over Alex Meret in goal for Napoli. Without injured Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen, Napoli, who has finished second four times since 2013, is attempting to win the league for the first time since 1989–1990.
Eight minutes later, Diaz increased the advantage when he received a pass inside the area, delivered a dummy that left Napoli defender Mario Rui helpless, and the ball deflected into the goal.
Leao sprinted into the area, twisted and spun past three Napoli players, and hammered his shot into the goal to effectively end the game for Milan 14 minutes into the second half. In 67 minutes, Alexis Saelemaekers added a fourth goal with a solo effort in which he outran four players and deposited the ball between Meret’s legs.
Napoli lost a Serie A game at home by four goals or more for the first time in more than 22 years.
