AC Milan maintained their pursuit of the Serie A title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over defending champions SSC Napoli, extending their unbeaten league streak to nine games following a goal by Hernandez.
Stefano Pioli marked his 220th match as head coach of the Rossoneri, a milestone that placed him alongside the esteemed Arrigo Sacchi in managerial history.
Despite a close call early on when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pass found Giovanni Simeone, whose shot narrowly missed the target, Milan soon found their rhythm. Rafael Leao’s perfectly lofted pass set up Theo Hernandez for a clinical finish, reminiscent of Sacchi’s renowned style of play.
After a somewhat sluggish start, Milan regained momentum, with Leao and his teammates pressing forward. However, the injury-enforced substitution of Davide Calabria tempered their progress momentarily.
Napoli’s goalkeeper, Pierluigi Gollini, nearly gifted Milan a second goal but managed to recover after initially fumbling Alessandro Florenzi’s deflected shot.
The pace remained frenetic, with both sides creating chances. Napoli’s Matteo Politano and Simeone threatened, indicating an improved performance from the visitors in the second half.
Despite Milan’s attempts to extend their lead through Leao and Yunus Musah, they couldn’t find the net again. Nevertheless, they held on as Napoli pressed late, with Jesper Lindstrom’s effort hitting the post.
In the end, Pioli’s side secured a vital victory, ending Napoli’s impressive eight-match unbeaten away record against them.