Naples [Italy], April 7 : Napoli dealt a major blow to AC Milan's fading Serie A title hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday.
The decisive moment came late in the second half when Matteo Politano struck from close range, finishing a flicked-on cross at the far post to separate the two sides in a tightly contested encounter.
The result sees Napoli leapfrog Milan into second place in the table with seven matches remaining, moving two points ahead of the Rossoneri. Meanwhile, leaders Inter Milan now hold a seven-point cushion, leaving Milan's title ambitions hanging by a thread, according to the Serie A website.
Under Massimiliano Allegri, Milan made a bold tactical call, deploying an unfamiliar attacking duo of Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Fullkrug, while regular starters Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão began on the bench.
The visitors created the first opening when Youssouf Fofana tested Vanja Milinkovic-Savic with a volley, but the Napoli goalkeeper gathered comfortably. Milan threatened intermittently in the first half, with Strahinja Pavlovic going close twice from set-pieces, though neither effort troubled the scoreline.
Napoli gradually grew into the contest, with Leonardo Spinazzola coming closest before the break, curling a shot narrowly wide after surging forward unchallenged. At the other end, Nkunku squandered a promising chance, firing over from a good position as Milan struggled to convert their build-up play into clear-cut opportunities.
The tempo remained high after the interval, with both sides trading attacks. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced a crucial save to deny a Napoli breakthrough, while the hosts continued to probe through midfield pressure led by Frank Anguissa.
Allegri turned to his bench in search of a breakthrough, introducing Santiago Gimenez and later Pulisic, but the changes failed to provide the cutting edge required.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 79th minute when Politano capitalised on a defensive lapse, reacting quickest to a looping ball inside the box to volley past Maignan from a tight angle.
Milan pushed forward in the closing stages, with Leao nearly finding a late equaliser, but Napoli's defence held firm to secure a crucial victory.
With momentum now on their side, Napoli have reignited their push at the top end of the table, while Milan are left to reflect on missed chances in what could prove a decisive night in the Serie A title race.
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