TURIN: Struggling Torino pulled off a shock 2-1 win over AC Milan on Sunday which extended Napoli’s Serie A lead to five points in their bid for a first league title in over three decades.

Reigning champions Milan were on a run of four straight league wins but defeat dropped them down to third in the standings on 26 points from 12 games, one point below second-placed Atalanta — who won2-0 at Empoli in Sunday’s early match — and six adrift of leaders Napoli, after Koffi Djidji and Aleksei Miranchuk netted twice in two first-half minutes for Torino.

Torino had scored just twice at home before this weekend and took a surprise lead in the 35th minute when defe­nder Djidji nodded home a free kick by Valentino Lazaro.

Miranchuk doubled Torino’s advantage two minutes later when goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic sent a long ball up the field which landed just in front of Milan’s area, and the midfielder fired a low shot inside the right post.

Junior Messias pulled a goal back for the away side midway through the second half as Torino moved up to ninth on 17 points.

Ademola Lookman continued his good recent form by netting his fourth goal in five league matches in Atalanta’s comfortable win at Empoli.

Hans Hateboer netted the other in an eighth win in 12 matches for Atalanta, who would have run out even more convincing winners had Teun Koopmeiners’ penalty not been saved by Guglielmo Vicario just before the break.

Fourth-placed Lazio suffered a surprise 3-1 home defeat by Salernitana after they went up through striker Mattia Zaccagni before halftime but conceded three goals in the second half.

Fiorentina moved up to 12th after forward Arthur Cabral scored to secure a last-gasp 2-1 win at 10-man Spezia, while Udinese continued their winless streak with a 0-0 draw at bottom-placed Cremonese.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2022