Chievo 1 - 3 AC Milan: AC Milan ease past Chievo to go third in Serie A

Posted Monday, October 17, 2016 by PA

AC Milan extended their unbeaten run against Chievo to 20 matches and climbed up to third in Serie A with a 3-1 win on the road.

Juraj Kucka and M'Baye Niang struck quickfire goals either side of half-time and although Valter Birsa gave Chievo hope with a second-half free-kick, Dario Dainelli's own goal in stoppage time settled the issue.

Milan held on to make it five games unbeaten and became the first side this season to win a league game at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

Chievo, who have not beaten Milan since December 2005, had won three of their previous four Serie A matches and were first to threaten in an uneventful first period through midfielder Birsa's shot from outside the area.

Antonio Floro Flores' header soon after was held by Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who then kept out another effort from Birsa with a superb low save.

The first half appeared to be heading for stalemate before Milan snatched the lead in the 45th minute. Slovakia international Kucka was given too much space on the edge of the area and rifled a left-footed drive beyond Stefano Sorrentini into the top corner.

The second period was barely 60 seconds old when Milan doubled their lead. Giacomo Bonaventura teed up Niang on the edge of the box and the Frenchman arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner.

Donnarumma then held Chievo at bay as he kept out Ivan Radovanovic's goalbound effort before Gianluca Lapadula and Niang went close in quick succession to adding the visitors' third.

Birsa's fine free-kick, despatched into the top corner in the 76th minute following Gabriel Paletta's foul on Flores, reduced the deficit but Chievo defender Dainelli turned the ball past his own goalkeeper Sorrentino in the fourth minute of added time.