MILAN — Rafael Leão appears back to his devastating best and the AC Milan forward helped the Rossoneri bounce back from a disappointing week with a 1-0 win over Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday.
Leão scored the only goal of the delayed match in the eighth minute to help his team get back to winning ways. Milan was humiliated 5-1 by Inter Milan in the city derby last weekend before being held 0-0 by Newcastle in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.
It was the third straight league match in which Leão scored. The 24-year-old had a mixed campaign last season as he appeared distracted by off-the-field issues with his contract, which he renewed in June.
Milan moved into second place but could be overtaken when unbeaten Juventus visits Sassuolo later. Lazio also plays later, against Monza.
The match almost didn’t go ahead, however, as the San Siro pitch was waterlogged following heavy rain and hail in the hour before kickoff. It eased off and the water drained quickly so the match was able to get underway 25 minutes late.
Milan got off to the best possible start when a mistake by the Verona defense allowed Olivier Giroud to win the ball back in midfield and he sent the ball through to Leão, who used his impressive pace to surge between two opposition players and slot into the bottom right corner.
PHOTOS: Leão back to devastating best as he helps AC Milan beat Verona 1-0
Verona almost leveled in the 21st minute but Marco Sportiello - standing in for the injured Mike Maignan - pulled off a fantastic save to keep out Michael Folorunsho’s close-range header.
Christian Pulisic went close to doubling Milan’s lead in the 72nd when he raced into the right side of the area and left Verona defender Paweł Dawidowicz scrambling as the United States international turned and curled in a shot, which Lorenzo Montipò did brilliantly do palm out from under the bar.
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