Stefano Pioli and Luciano Spalletti are two formidable Italian gaffers, much-praised for their coaching qualities, courage to face challenges, but also widely recognized for their baldness.Both bald, but only one of them bold enough to impose their tactics at San Siro turf tonight – and it was the latter.Spalleti’s Napoli scored an early winner after only five minutes and then kept their cool and dominated the game. On the other hand, Rossoneri have continued their excruciating streak, with as many as three losses in the last six games.Novelist Ibra and a band of inferiors: the tragic AC Milan downfallDespite an awful performance of theirs, Milan were close enough to clinch at least a point near the stoppage time, but Frenk Kessie’s equalizer was disallowed due to a controversial Giroud’s offside.However, it didn’t cost them a thing in a deteriorated Serie A since they’re now levelled with Napoli itself in the second place on the log, four points adrift of Inter.Sto soffocando #MilanNapoli pic.twitter.com/0htbMS1rjA— A t t a 🇮🇹 (@atta0993) December 19, 2021 The fixture was practically decided five minutes into the game. Elmas found a spare place in Milan’s area and executed a header in front of stunned Tonali and Ibra to push his side one up.
The impotent hosts struggled to fight back, with their most excellent chance to equalize coming late in the second half. Messias’ sharp shot went only inches wide, although it seemed it was going in at one moment.A veteran-sub Giroud fired shortly after, but again, the scoreboard showed 1-0 for the visitors.❌ Franck Kessie thought he had a birthday goal here, but VAR had other ideas, chalked off for offside!📺 Watch LIVE via @kayosports, @Foxtel, Fetch and beIN SPORTS CONNECT!! ▶️ https://t.co/dR3JmGUdy7 pic.twitter.com/q7Elg5LfSM— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) December 19, 2021 The tensions were high as the match reached the end, with lots of mistakes on both ends and shortcomings uncharacteristic for the clubs of such an ilk.Kessie managed to score after an eye-hurting ricochet in the Napoli’s area, but the referee voided it after a VAR consultancy that will trigger more than a few debates in days to come.SERIE A – ROUND 18FridayLazio – Genoa 3-1 (1-0)/Pedro 36, Accerbi 7, Zaccagni 81/Salernitana – Inter 0-5 (0-2)/Perisic 11, Dumfries 33, Sanchez 52, Martinez 78, Gagliardini 87/Saturday Atalanta – Roma 1-4 (1-2)/Muriel 45+1 – Abraham 1, 82, Zaniolo 27, Smalling 72/Bologna – Juventus 0-2 (0-1)/Morata 6, Cuadrado 69/Cagliari – Udinese 0-4 (0-2)/Makengo 4, Deulofeu 45, 69, Molina 50/Sunday Fiorentina – Sassuolo 2-2 (0-2)/Vlahovic 51, Torreira 61 – Scamacca 32, Frattesi 37/Spezia – Empoli 1-1 (0-0)/Marchizza 50 og – Nikolaou 71 og/Sampdoria – Venezia 1-1 (1-0)/Gabbiadini 1 – Henry 87/Torino – Hellas Verona 1-0 (1-0)/Pobega 26/Milan – Napoli 0-1 (0-1)/Elmas 5/