A late goal from AC Milan forward Noah Okafor gave his team a 1-0 Serie A victory over Lazio on Friday. It was a wild finale to the match because the hosts were sent off three times and were reduced to eight men in stoppage time.
Milan snapped a three-game losing streak across all competitions with the win, putting them in third place in the league with 56 points.
On Sunday, second-place Juventus will visit Napoli, putting them one point behind Milan. Inter Milan, who are now in first place and will face Genoa on Monday, is thirteen points ahead of Milan.
Against opponents in the league’s lower half, Milan let up eight goals in their last three road games.
With few opportunities and little activity in the first half, Milan managed to hold on to the ball. After Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel saved Okafor’s original attempt, the substitute scored in the 88th minute off a rebound close to the penalty area.
Okafor, Inter striker Lautaro Martinez, and teammate Luka Jovic tied for the most goals scored by substitutes in Italy’s Serie A this season with four apiece.
After a review by the video assistance referee, the goal—which Rafael Leao thought had broken the deadlock for the visitors in the 76th minute—was deemed offside.
Defending player Luca Pellegrini was sent off for a second yellow card for trying to illegally halt Christian Pulisic after Lazio had lost possession of the ball just before the hour mark, reducing the team to ten men.
As a result of two late sending-offs—defender Adam Marusic for a challenge on Leao and midfielder Matteo Guendouzi for retaliation after Pulisic’s pull—the home team finished the match with eight players instead of nine.
On Thursday, Milan hosted Slavia Prague for the opening leg of their Europa League last-16 match. On March 10, they will face Empoli.
After dropping three of their last four league games, Lazio finds itself in ninth place with 40 points. On March 11, they will face Udinese.
For Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 match against Bayern Munich, Maurizio Sarri’s squad will be looking to keep their 1-0 lead from the first leg.
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