Empoli 1-4 Milan: Lapadula brace fires Rossoneri to win

By Oliver Fisher -

AC Milan made it six wins out of eight with what proved to be a comfortable victory in Empoli, running out 4-1 winners at the Carlo Castellani.

Gianluca Lapadula was the star as he filled in perfectly for the injured Carlos Bacca, scoring a brace and leading the forward line well. 

Former Rossoneri man Riccardo Saponara responded in the first half for the home side, but three second half goals, including one from Suso and an own goal, saw Milan to victory.

It was Empoli who started the game on the front foot, and they squandered a huge chance to take the lead in the third minute when Massimo Maccarone scuffed his effort from Rade Krunic’s feed, with Gianluigi Donnarumma stranded.

Four minutes later, Riccardo Saponara found space inside the box, but he shot straight at Donnarumma, who collected comfortably at the second attempt.

With 15 minutes on the clock Milan struck somewhat against the run of play, as Gianluca Lapadula slotted home calmly from Suso’s feed after Juraj Kucka had dispossessed his opponent on the edge of the box and fed the Spaniard.

The lead would be short lived however, as former Rossoneri man Saponara brought the hosts level two minutes later, catching Donnarumma off his line after he had palmed away the first cross.

Maccarone curled an effort over in the 23rd minute, before nine minutes later Ignazio Abate saw a shot deflected just wide of the left post at the other end.

Empoli will feel they should have gone into the interval a goal up when Saponara blazed over in space ten minutes before the break, while Lukasz Skorupski was forced to make a reaction save from Bonaventura’s free kick shortly after.

Suso gave Milan the advantage once again in the 61st minute, when he converted his first real chance. Ignazio Abate found the winger with a feed inside the box, and he duly capitalised with a sweet finish.

Three minutes later it was 3-1, as Bonaventura got to the byline with a clever run, and Andrea Costa shanked the ball into the roof of his own net under pressure.

The quick brace was exactly what Vincenzo Montella’s side needed to take a grip on the game, and the fourth goal came as Lapadula got his second, seeing his left-footed low drive deflected past Skorupski.

The full-time whistle could not come soon enough for the home side, who still sit perilously close to the relegation zone under Martusciello.

Milan meanwhile move three points clear in second place temporarily, and Diavolo supporters around the world are beginning to dream.

Tags AC Milan Empoli Milan Italy Lapadula Milan News report Rossoneri Serie A Suso
Serie A Standings

Live football scores . Current table, fixtures & results.