Fiorentina's Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic and AC Milan's Portuguese forward Rafael Leao (R) go for the ball during the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Fiorentina on November 13, 2022 at the San Siro stadium in Milan. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Milan: AC Milan needed a stoppage-time own goal from defender Nikola Milenkovic to secure a 2-1 Serie A win against Fiorentina at home on Sunday.
The hosts took 90 seconds to take the lead when Olivier Giroud flicked the ball to Rafael Leao, who surged into the box and calmly placed it in the net.
Fiorentina could have equalised after eight minutes when Cristiano Biraghi was played free, but his shot from an acute angle hit the post and bounced out.
Antonin Barak deservedly equalised for Fiorentina after 28 minutes when his shot went in after deflecting off defender Malick Thiaw following scrappy play from Milan inside the box.
Brahim Diaz managed to break free from the Fiorentina defence just before halftime, but while his shot beat Fiorentina keeper Pietro Terracciano, Lorenzo Venuti blocked the attempt almost on the line.
Milan started the second half more aggressively and had a good chance after five minutes when Giroud broke free from his marker inside the box, but keeper Terracciano superbly saved his shot from close range.
Fikayo Tomori prevented a potential Fiorentina goal on the hour mark with a well-timed tackle on Jonathan Ikone inside Milan's own box.
Kone could have secured the win for Fiorentina one minute before stoppage time, but Tomori saved Milan again by blocking the shot on the goal line.
One minute into stoppage time, Ante Rebic sent a cross into the box, with Milenkovic miscalculating and directing the ball into his own net.
Milan are second with 33 points as they go into the World Cup break, with third-placed Lazio playing later on Sunday. Fiorentina are 10th with 19 points.
