Pierre Kalulu scored the only goal of the game to hand Milan a 1-0 victory over Empoli in their Serie A clash at San Siro. The defender drilled home a left-footed strike in the 19th minute after pouncing on a rebound from a Olivier Giroud free-kick. The Rossoneri were unable to add to their lead, but were comfortable at the back for the majority of the game outside of one glancing header from Sebastiano Luperto that called Mike Maignan into action. It was not a classic performance from Stefano Pioli's men, but they secured a vital win to move five points clear at the top of Serie A.
Milan are next in action in Serie A on the road next week at Cagliari. Empoli will aim to end a 12-match winless run at home to Verona next Sunday.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Cronaca
Formazioni
Statistiche
90'+5'
FULL-TIME: MILAN 1-0 EMPOLI22:41
90'+5'
Maignan comes off his line to make an important claim to gather a cross from Stojanovic. That should be it for the home side.22:41
90'+4'
Tonali goes into the book for a challenge on Parisi.22:52
90'+1'
Florenzi cramps up for the home side and has to be stretched out. Empoli will look to attack the Milan left flank in the closing stages.22:37
90'
There will be four minutes of added time.22:36
89'
Tomori has to get across to the left flank to block a low cross from Stojanovic. Empoli are upping the ante on the Milan backline.22:35
88'
Bennacer makes way for the home side in the middle of the park and is replaced by Krunic for the closing minutes.22:52
86'
Bennacer loses possession near the edge of his own box and Benassi goes for the strike. Tomori puts his body on the line to make the block before Maignan claims the loose ball from the rebound.22:53
85'
Ibrahimovic is on the mark for his side in his defensive duties to clear a corner from Asllani towards the near post.22:31
83'
Ibrahimovic makes his comeback from injury as he replaces Giroud in the final third.22:29
83'
Leao made a few bright moves in the first half, but gradually faded. Rebic replaces the forward in the final third.22:29
82'
Saelemaekers charges forward and has support from Leao in the final third, but he misplaces his throughball behind for a goal-kick.22:28
80'
Giroud gets the wrong side of Luperto to break into the left-inside channel, but Romagnoli is well placed to divert his cross behind. Luperto is furious with the referee and wants a foul, but the official is not interested.22:26
78'
Saelemaekers does well at the back to track the run of Zurkowski and clear ahead of the midfielder as a loose almost fell in his direction in the Milan box following good work from Pinamonti.22:23
77'
WIDE! Tonali curls a cross into the box from the left flank for Giroud to attack, but he nods his effort harmlessly wide of the left post.22:23
75'
Diaz is played into space in the right-inside channel by Tonali, but Parisi gets back to make an important block to deflect his cross behind for a corner.22:22
72'
Kessie was bright in the first half, but his output has diminished and is now replaced by Diaz.22:18
72'
Messias has been active in the second half, but not overly productive. Saelemaekers replaces the Brazilian down the right flank.22:18
72'
Giroud attempts one overhead kick too many as he tries to react to Tomori's flick, but he catches Luperto and gives away a free-kick.22:17
71'
Benassi enters the action in the middle of the park to replace Bandinelli.22:17
71'
Bajrami almost unlocked the Milan defence and is now withdrawn for the final 19 minutes for Di Francesco.22:16
70'
Bennacer probes on the edge of the box in combination with Tonali and Giroud, but the Empoli defence are resilient to prevent the strike. Milan do win a corner on the left flank as Romagnoli diverts Tonali's cutback behind.22:16
67'
SAVE! Messias cuts back on his left foot on the edge of the box and finds space to test Vicario, but his effort is tame and straight at the Empoli keeper.22:13
65'
Messias tries to put Parisi under pressure at the back as he chases down a long ball over the top, but the defender does well to clear the danger.22:12
63'
Cacace is withdrawn at left-back as Parisi comes on to the field for the final third of the game.22:10
63'
Fiamozzi makes way for the visitors at right-back for Stojanovic.22:09
63'
Henderson makes way in the final third for Cutrone, who will be out to score against his former club.22:09
60'
Calabria takes a knock as he competes for a cross into the box with Bajrami, but he appears to be okay to continue.22:06
59'
Milan have not been able to find their rhythm in the second half and the visitors have been a threat in the final third. The home fans are getting a little tetchy such is the pressure in the title race.22:05
57'
Milan have been solid in Serie A this season when leading at the break, but they are being tested. Pioli's men have a record of W13, D1, L1 when leading at half-time in Serie A this season.22:03
56'
SAVE! Messias cuts in from the right flank to fire at goal on his left foot from 20 yards, but he blasts his effort straight into the hands of Vicario.22:02
53'
Empoli have been much brighter since the restart and are putting the home side under pressure at the back. Andreazzoli's words of wisdom at the break look to have worked.21:58
51'
CHANCE! Maignan has to get back on his line as Bajrami almost catches him out direct from the corner. Zurkowski latches on to the rebound, but can only steer a tame strike at the Milan keeper.22:06
50'
Romagnoli is down for the visitors after taking a blow to the nose. He requires treatment off the field ahead of the Empoli corner.21:56
49'
SAVE! Maignan has to stretch to turn Luperto's glancing header away from goal. Bandinelli lifts a dangerous cross into the box from the right flank that Luperto heads towards the bottom-left corner. Maignan is alert to the threat and gets down quickly to push it away.21:55
46'
We're back under way at San Siro.21:51
Empoli were restricted to one effort at goal in the first half and will need a significant improvement in the final third in the second half to get back into the contest. Andrea Pinamonti needs better service from his team-mates to put pressure back on the Rossoneri.21:37
Milan hold a 1-0 lead over Empoli at the break in their Serie A clash at San Siro. Pierre Kalulu fired home from distance after latching on to a rebound from Olivier Giroud's free-kick. Alessandro Florenzi and Giroud had chances to extend the Rossoneri's advantage, but the home side have been in control of the contest throughout the first half.21:35
45'+2'
HALF-TIME: MILAN 1-0 EMPOLI21:34
45'
There will be two minutes of added time.21:34
45'
SAVE! Giroud rises again in the middle to attack a cross from Calabria, nodding the ball downwards towards goal. Vicario gets down to make a diving stop before the Frenchman and then Kessie are denied by desperate blocks.21:34
44'
BLOCK! Leao bursts down the left flank and cuts the ball back for Giroud to strike first-time, but Luperto makes a vital block to deny the Milan forward.21:31
42'
OVER! Calabria has space to whip a cross into the box for Giroud to attack, but he rises fractionally early and directs his header over the bar.21:29
40'
Giroud angles a ball over the top for Leao to chase through the middle, but the forward takes a poor first touch and Luperto closes on the loose ball to mop up the danger.21:27
38'
OVER! A poor header from Tomori presents Pinamonti with a chance to fire at goal from the edge of the box, but the forward lifts his effort narrowly over the bar. A warning for the home side.21:25
37'
Florenzi takes a knock on the ankle after colliding with Fiamozzi's boot. He requires treatment, but appears to be okay.21:24
36'
CHANCE! Leao finds Florenzi in the left-inside channel with a brilliant backheel, but the veteran fires his left-footed strike over the bar. The Italian has had two good opportunities now.21:24
33'
The home side are being patient in possession and are not rushing their attacking moves. The Rossoneri have not been troubled at the back yet.21:23
31'
Tonali appears to be okay to continue for now, but Pioli will be monitoring his key man in the middle of the park.21:20
30'
Tonali appears to be struggling for the home side after going down of his own accord in the middle of the park. He requires treatment from the Milan physio.21:17
29'
Bennacer has space to hit Leao down the left flank, but he gets his pass all wrong sending it out for a throw-in. The forward was not too pleased with his team-mate there.21:15
28'
BLOCK! Giroud attempts to connect with an overhead kick following a Florenzi corner. He gets a strike away on his left boot, but his effort is blocked by a wall of Empoli defenders.21:14
25'
Messias clips a cross to the back post for Florenzi, who steers an offload into the path of Kessie. However, the midfielder cannot take it in stride in the penalty area and is forced wide. The eventual delivery back into the middle from Florenzi is claimed by Vicario.21:14
22'
Bandinelli was not happy with the decision to award the free-kick in the first place. Now that Milan have scored from the set-piece, Empoli will feel further aggrieved with the referee.21:09
21'
Milan have a record of W16, D2, L2 when scoring the opening goal in Serie A this season.21:07
19'
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! KALULU BREAKS THE DEADLOCK WITH A BRILLIANT STRIKE!!!!! 1-0 MILAN!!!!! Kalulu latches on to a rebound from Giroud's free-kick and places his left-footed strike into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards. Giroud lines up a blast from a free-kick on the edge of the box that is blocked with ease by the wall. However, Kalulu races forward to latch on to the rebound before drilling a low effort on his left foot past Vicario.
Bandinelli brings down Kessie on the edge of the Empoli box with a nudge, handing the home side a free-kick in a threatening position.21:05
14'
Cacace tries to find space down the left flank and advances deep into Milan territory, but he gets crowded out before he can lift a cross into the box.21:01
11'
BLOCK! Leao drifts in from the left flank and tries to fire his effort through a crowd of white shirts, but Fiamozzi makes a good block with his body.20:58
10'
WIDE! Calabria delivers a dangerous low ball into the box that Bandinelli attempts to clear. However, Tonali charges down the clearance and the ball travels at speed towards goal, only to drift inches wide of the right post.20:58
8'
SAVE! Milan open the Empoli defence with a neat move between Leao, Florenzi and Kessie. The latter offloads to Florenzi in the box and he attempts to curl his effort around Vicario, but the Empoli keeper makes a smart save to push his strike away from goal.20:56
6'
Milan are being cautious in their approach and may be working out the best way to attack the 4-3-2-1 Empoli formation.20:56
4'
Calabria times his challenge to perfection down the right flank to halt the run of Bandinelli, who had made a decent break for the visitors.20:53
3'
Both sides are knocking the ball around the pitch without a great deal of intent in the early stages of the contest.20:52
1'
We're under way at San Siro.20:49
AC Milan have won their last two Serie A meetings against Empoli (3-0 on February 22nd 2019 and 4-2 on December 22nd 2021); they, who last won three in a row against them between 2003-2006 (four), had only won two in their previous seven against them in the competition (D4 L1).20:42
Empoli have made fourchanges to their side from their draw with Genoa last time out. Henderson comes into the final third to replace Verre, who drops to the bench. Fiamozzi and Cacace slot into the full-back positions for Stojanovic and Parisi. Benassi makes way from the middle of the park for Bandinelli.20:41
Milan have made one change to their side from their win over Napoli last time out. Theo Hernandez is suspended and is replaced by Florenzi at left-back. Kalulu and Tomori continue in the back four despite the return of Romagnoli to the bench. Ibrahimovic is also available off the bench after recovering from injury.20:38
EMPOLI SUBS: Samir Ujkani, Leo Stulac, Valerio Verre, Patrick Cutrone, Federico Di Francesco, Marco Benassi, Andrea La Mantia, Lorenzo Tonelli, Petar Stojanovic, Ardian Ismajli, Mattia Viti, Fabiano Parisi.20:35
MILAN SUBS: Ciprian Tatarusanu, Fode Ballo-Toure, Samu Castillejo, Brahim Diaz, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ante Rebic, Alessio Romagnoli, Daniel Maldini, Rade Krunic, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers, Antonio Mirante.20:32
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Pierre Kalulu , Fikayo Tomori, Alessandro Florenzi; Sandro Tonali, Ismael Bennacer; Junior Messias, Franck Kessie, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud.20:27
Empoli are winless in their last 11 Serie A matches, and although they are safe from the threat of relegation, Aurelio Andreazzoli will be under pressure to get his team back to form sooner rather than later. They played out a goalless draw against Genoa last time out to end a run of successive defeats after losing to Sampdoria and Juventus. Empoli will face a massive challenge tonight to attempt to win their first match since December, while even a point on the road would be a pleasing outcome. 20:26
Milan will have noted Juventus' win over Sampdoria earlier in the day that has brought the Bianconeri within four points of the Rossoneri at the top of the table. There are now four teams in the battle for the Scudetto, with Stefano Pioli's men out in front for now after a brilliant 1-0 win over Napoli last time out. Milan had dropped points against Salernitana and Udinese in their two previous matches, but were on form to secure a massive result in the context of the season. They face another important match tonight to answer Juve's threat.20:21
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Milan and Empoli at San Siro.20:00
Dove si gioca la partita:
Stadio: Giuseppe Meazza Città: Milano Capienza: 80074 spettatori20:00
