ROME: Ten-man AC Milan beat AS Roma 2-1 thanks to an early Olivier Giroud penalty and Rafael Leao’s stunning volley two minutes after half-time at Stadio Olimpico on Friday to move a provisional three points clear at the top of Serie A, spoiling Romelu Lukaku’s debut for the home side.

Milan have a maximum nine points while Roma, with just one, continued their poor start and are winless in their opening three league games for the first time since 2011-12.

Stefano Pioli’s side were worthy winners in the Italian capital despite having to play the final half an hour with 10 men after central defender Fikayo Tomori was sent off for two bookable offences.

“The result is important, like the performance,” Milan coach Pioli told DAZN. “It gives continuity to the first two and I’m satisfied.”

The game was barely nine minutes old when striker Giroud put the visitors ahead by calmly converting a penalty after goalkeeper Rui Patricio had brought down Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Roma looked shaky and winger Leao extended Milan’s lead three minutes after the break, firing Davide Calabria’s lofted cross in off the post with an acrobatic first-time finish.

Not even the introduction of star loan signing Lukaku not long after Tomori’s dismissal in the 61st minute could salvage something for a poor performance against Milan who look a serious candidate for the league title.

Roma eventually pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Leonardo Spinazzola, while Nicola Zalewski had a chance to equalise in a hectic finish to the game but it was too little, too late to rescue a point.

Earlier, Domenico Bera­rdi netted twice on his season debut for Sassuolo, a 3-1 win over Verona which got his team off the mark.

Italy forward Berardi had been dropped for Sassuolo’s first two matches, defeats to Atalanta and Napoli, as he pushed for a move to Juventus which never materialised.

And he was on the spot to hand the hosts their first win of the campaign, the 29-year-old involved in Andrea Pinamonti’s 11th minute opener before bagging his brace in 10 second half minutes after Cyril Ngonge had equalised.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2023