Home ›› 14 Apr 2023 ›› Sport
AC Milan have the slenderest of advantages in their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final after Ismael Bennacer fired his team to a 1-0 win over wasteful Napoli on Wednesday.
Algeria midfielder Bennacer lashed in the decisive strike five minutes before half-time of an engaging first leg at a packed, loud and wet San Siro after Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao combined brilliantly.
The 25-year-old’s second goal of the season ensured Milan’s second win over Italy’s champions-elect Napoli in less than a fortnight and a narrow lead to defend at the Stadio Maradona in Naples next week.
“It will be a great return leg with a lot of tension and emotion,” said Milan coach Stefano Pioli. “We performed at a level worthy of the Champions League... we’ll go to Naples with confidence and concentration high, we know how difficult it will be down there.”
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan made a series of impressive stops, in particular late on when he clawed out Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s effort just as the more than 70,000 home fans were celebrating victory.
But Bennacer’s strike was just enough to give Milan hopes of their first Champions League semi-final since they were crowned kings of Europe for the seventh and most recent time in 2007. That prospect will be all the more mouth-watering for Milan fans as their likely opponents would be local rivals Inter following their convincing win at Benfica on Tuesday.
