Palermo 1 : 0 AC Milan - Milan slip up

Posted Saturday, March 19, 2011 by PA

AC Milan lost crucial points in the race for the Scudetto on Saturday, going down 1-0 at Palermo and giving city rivals Inter Milan the opportunity to narrow the gap at the top of the table to just two points on Sunday.

Dorin Goian scored the only goal of the game in the 10th minute as the Sicilians won their first game under Serse Cosmi after two defeats since he replaced Delio Rossi.

The win lifts the Rosaneri up to seventh and back into the hunt for a place in Europe next season.

League leaders Milan played the first of three games without their influential striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and they clearly lacked ideas in attack.

Palermo's much-maligned defence was therefore saved from a torrid night at the Renzo Barbera, and one of their back three was even able to score the winner.

Goian was left in an onside position by Mark van Bommel after Giulio Migliaccio headed the ball inside the six-yard box, and the giant central defender turned and volleyed the ball into the roof of Christian Abbiati's goal to give the home side the lead in the 10th minute.

Scoring so early was not the best of ideas for Palermo, who spent much of the rest of the game defending their lead.

Alessandro Nesta almost replied instantly for Milan, but he was not able to get a touch at the far post as he lunged at a low ball across the face of goal.

The Sicilians had their own chances on the break, though, with a backheeled pass from Mauricio Pinilla setting up Javier Pastore, who shot wide of the far post.

Roles were reversed in the 32nd minute with Pastore this time setting up Pinilla with a backheel, but the Chilean's shot from 20 yards was saved.

Antonio Cassano missed Milan's best chance of the first half in the 32nd minute when he blazed his shot wide of the near post with only Salvatore Sirigu to beat.

Milan laid siege to the Palermo goal in the second half, but did not manage to find a way through.

The closest they came was in the 66th minute when Mathieu Flamini's shot was pushed away by Sirigu, and in the 79th minute when Sirigu again made another save to push away Gennaro Gattuso's header.