In a dramatic encounter at the San Siro on Sunday, AC Milan’s struggles continued as a late penalty saw them succumb to a 2-1 defeat against Lazio in Serie A.
Even after leveling the score with just six minutes of regulation time left, Milan’s hopes were dashed when Pedro converted a penalty deep into stoppage time. This unfavorable result marks Milan’s third consecutive league loss, further compounding their woes following an early exit from the Champions League.
The latest defeat has seen Milan tumble to ninth place in the standings, as Roma climbed above them, achieving a comeback 2-1 victory over a ten-man Como. Meanwhile, Lazio propelled themselves into fourth position, just a point ahead of Juventus, who are set to face Hellas Verona. Bologna also made strides towards securing a top-four finish by rallying from behind to defeat Cagliari 2-1, keeping their Champions League aspirations alive.
Lazio aimed to regain momentum after consecutive league draws and an Italian Cup elimination earlier in the week. Their persistence paid off when Mattia Zaccagni opened the scoring in the 28th minute, capitalizing on his own rebound after Milan’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, initially saved his shot. Milan’s prospects diminished significantly in the second half as defender Strahinja Pavlovic saw red for a dangerous challenge.
Despite being down to 10 men, Milan found a momentary reprieve when Samuel Chukwueze headed in an equalizer from a cross by Rafael Leão. However, the drama reached its peak as Lazio were awarded a penalty in stoppage time upon video review, with Maignan adjudged to have fouled Gustavo Isaksen. Pedro stepped up to slot the decisive penalty into the bottom corner, sealing the win for Lazio.
Bologna, aiming for a return to the Champions League, witnessed Riccardo Orsolini score twice to overturn a first-half deficit against Cagliari. Despite trailing after Roberto Piccoli’s header gave Cagliari the lead, Bologna made effective halftime substitutions that paid dividends. Orsolini netted a penalty, and then converted a cross from substitute Nicolò Cambiaghi to complete the comeback, leaving Cagliari precariously close to the relegation zone.
Roma showcased the impact of substitutions, with Alexis Saelemaekers making an immediate impact to turn the tide against Como. Entering the game in the 61st minute, he quickly combined with Zeki Çelik to set up a deflected equalizer. The situation worsened for Como as they were reduced to 10 men, and Roma’s Artem Dovbyk clinched the winner shortly after, scoring from a volley assisted by another substitute, Devyne Rensch.
As Roma extended their unbeaten streak to 11 league matches, they now sit in eighth place, with Empoli held to a 1-1 draw at Genoa, and Torino securing a 2-0 victory against basement club Monza. The weekend’s results reflect the intense competition and shifting dynamics in Serie A.
