MILAN, Dec 2: Junior Messias continued his scoring form by netting twice for AC Milan to help the Rossoneri get back on track in the league with a 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Genoa on Wednesday.
Messias even overshadowed Zlatan Ibrahimović, who scored Milan’s opener.
Milan moved a point below Serie A leader Napoli.
After losing back-to-back league matches, AC Milan got off to a poor start as Simon Kjær was injured almost immediately and had to be taken off on a stretcher in the third minute with a knee injury.
But Ibrahimović curled in a free kick in the 10th minute for his sixth goal in nine league matches.
Messias opened his league account with the Rossoneri in first-half stoppage time with a looping header.
The Brazilian, who began his professional career only a few years ago, scored his third goal in a week in the 61st with an angled drive into the bottom left corner.
Sassuolo vs Napoli
After leading 2-0, Napoli nearly had to return home without even a point.
Grégoire Defrel celebrated wildly after thinking he had scored a stoppage-time winner for Sassuolo but it was disallowed on video review for a foul by Domenico Berardi in the buildup.
Napoli took the lead with goals from Fabián Ruiz and Dries Mertens. But Gianluca Scamacca pulled one back for the home side and Gian Marco Ferrari leveled in the final minute. Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti was sent off for dissent immediately after the equalizer.
Inter Milan vs Spezia
Lautaro Martínez scored one goal and set up another as Inter Milan beat Spezia 2-0 to close the gap on Napoli.
Martinez assisted on Roberto Gagliardini’s opening goal in the first half and then converted a penalty after the break as the defending champion moved to within two points of the lead.
Inter next face Roma and former coach José Mourinho. Meanwhile, Roma lost 1-0 at Bologna. (AP)
