MILAN: AC Milan overcame having to play with 10 men for over an hour to beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday, a dramatic win which moved the seven-time European champions two points behind Serie A leaders Napoli.
Paulo Fonseca's side are third and level on 14 points with second-placed Inter Milan after surviving two offside scares, including one deep in stoppage time, to claim a hard-fought win at the San Siro.
Samuel Chukwueze's 13th-minute strike looked like being the first of a comfortable win but ended up being the winning goal as Milan held on for the points.
Their task was made difficult by Tijjani Reijnders being sent off in the 29th minute for a clumsy foul on Sandi Lovric who would have been clean through on goal had the Netherlands midfielder not clipped his heels.
"It was two matches in one. The first one finished after half an hour, 30 minutes of character, quality and the sort of play which is close to what I want," said Fonseca.
The Portuguese has had to field questions about ill discipline in the dressing room, especially among star players like suspended Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao, who was left on the bench for the entire match.
"After the sending off it was all about the team spirit," he added.
"If anyone doubted that were a united team today was the demonstration that we are."
Tammy Abraham should have sealed the points for Milan with 15 minutes remaining when he somehow managed, moments after replacing Alvaro Morata, to both fluff a golden chance on the rebound and injure his right shoulder at the same time.
Milan later revealed that England international Abraham had not fractured the shoulder as previously feared.
The hosts looked to have been sucker-punched when Christian Kabasele bundled home for Udinese in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but a huge roar rang around the ground when, after a long VAR check, the goal was ruled out for Jurgen Ekkelenkamp's toes straying offside.
Milan's win came in front of a flat San Siro following the decision of Milan's hardcore "ultras" supporters to stand in silence for most of the match in protest at what they claim is a law enforcement and Italian media campaign against them.
Leading ultras from both Milan and local rivals Inter were arrested last month and are accused of a variety of crimes raging from criminal conspiracy and extortion to assault.
Earlier this week Milan's ultras groups refuted allegations by investigators of any involvement in ticket touting, control of parking and sales from concession stands near the San Siro.
In the meantime police banned the ultras' large "Curva Sud Milano" from being hung out in that section, leading to supporters around the whole stadium, not just ultras, from leaving their own banners and flags at home.
Instead fans in the Curva Sud held a banner in support of their arrested allies which read, loosely translated, "Stay strong boys."
Later Juventus can move level with Napoli with a win over in-form Lazio, although Thiago Motta's side have been hit by series of injuries.
Napoli are at Empoli in today's lunchtime kick-off, with champions Inter taking on Roma in the Italian capital in the day's late match. - AFP