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1 vs 0
Played
April 25, 2012 5:00 PM BST
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza — Milano
Referee:‬ A. Gervasoni‎
Attendance:‬ 52000‎
 
Top of the Match
Kevin-Prince Boateng
Kevin-Prince Boateng
AC Milan
Kevin-Prince Boateng
Kevin-Prince Boateng
AC Milan
Flop of the Match
Emiliano Moretti
Emiliano Moretti
Genoa
Bosko Jankovic
Bosko Jankovic
Genoa

AC Milan 1-0 Genoa: Late Boateng strike keeps Rossoneri's faint title hopes alive against 10-man Grifone

The Ghanaian midfielder grabbed a late winner to maintain his side's hopes of lifting a second straight Scudetto, while ruining Luigi De Canio's baptism of fire in the process

By Livio Caferoglu

AC Milan found a late winner to keep up the pace at the Serie A summit after they narrowly managed to break down a resilient Genoa outfit 1-0 at San Siro on Wednesday.

Juventus' slender win at Cesena meant the Rossoneri would have to equal their result to ensure their deficit remained at three points, and Massimiliano Allegri's side looked to be on their way towards making it only one win in six league matches, before Kevin Prince-Boateng popped up in the nick of time.

Unsurprisingly it was the champions' who took the match to their opponents from the offset, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic again spearheading the Milan attack and being entrusted with the responsibility of leading the line, while Stephan El Shaarawy and Urby Emanuelson tucked in behind.

However, the first notable chance of the game fell to Genoa, amid calls of a Milan handball offence. Rodrigo Palacio sent through Juraj Kucka on goal, but the Slovakia midfielder's shot was shut down by Alessandro Nesta with a flailing arm. However, the incident went unpunished.

Genoa came to San Siro with a game plan, and much to the delight of new coach Luigi De Canio, his team's compactness and tendency to breakon the counterattack was working. The hosts' spark seemed to fade as the half wore on.

And the second half was no different, or so it seemed for most part. Boateng, Ibrahimovic and Nocerino all had snapshots at the Genoa goal, but they all proved futile as the Rossoblu did their utmost to stifle the champions, and the fans understandably became restless.

Allegri was in no mood to let the status quo suffice, and he threw on Antonio Cassano and Maxi Lopez to compliment the introduction of Boateng earlier in the match, in a bid to force a hugely-important winning strike.

But the Grifoni's fine work in neutralising the Rossoneri took a huge blow with 20 minutes left to play, as Bosko Jankovic foolishly slid into the back of Ignazio Abate on the edge of the box to receive a red card, and it seemed a potential turning point had been realised.

From the resulting free kick, Mario Yepes had the goal at his mercy, but a superb instinctive stop from Sebastien Frey meant Genoa would live on for a little longer yet, but they could only take so much of Milan's wave after wave of attacks.

The winner came with only four minutes remaining, as Urby Emanuelson's cross was flicked on into the path of Boateng who powered the ball home

The gap remains three points at the summit with only four matchdays left, while Genoa continue to hover dangerously over the relegation places.


AC Milan

32
Christian Abbiati
Goalkeeper
3.00
77
Luca Antonini
Defender
80′
3.00
76
3.00
14
3.50
20
Ignazio Abate
Defender
29′
3.00
4
Sulley Ali Muntari
Midfielder
53′
3.00
-
Mark van Bommel
Midfielder
50′
3.00
8
Antonio Nocerino
Midfielder
3.00
8
2.50
92
3.00
18
3.00

Genoa

3.50
1
Sebastien Frey
Goalkeeper
3.00
24
3.00
-
3.50
5
3.50
-
2.50
11
Bosko Jankovic
Midfielder
60′ 72′
3.00
-
3.00
33
Juraj Kucka
Midfielder
3.00
5
3.00
-
Valter Birsa
Midfielder
70′
3.00
8

Substitutes

1
Marco Amelia
Goalkeeper
0.00
-
Djamel Mesbah
Midfielder
0.00
10
0.00
10
3.50
8
0.00
99
3.00
10
0.00

Substitutes

0.00
12
3.00
-
3.00
-
Roger
Defender
70′
0.00
19
C. Jorquera
Midfielder
0.00
4
Miguel Veloso
Midfielder
81′
0.00
57
0.00
82

Coach/Manager

Coach/Manager

0.00
-
 
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  • Yellow Card / Red Card
  • Red Card
  • Substitution IN
  • Substitution OUT
  • Injury
  • Goal.com Rating
  • Goal.com Man of the Match
  • Goal.com Flop of the Match
  • Top & Flop Global Ranking
  • Fans' Man of the Match
  • Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edinson  Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli
29 7
Antonio Di Natale Antonio Di Natale
Striker
Udinese
23 4
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo Pablo Daniel Osvaldo
Striker
Roma
16 2
Stephan El Shaarawy Stephan El Shaarawy
Midfielder
Milan
16 0
Germán Denis Germán Denis
Striker
Atalanta
15 5