AC Milan ended the year with a much-needed win as they edged past Sassuolo 1-0 at San Siro.
Christian Pulisic scored the only goal in the second half to keep Milan just about in touch with Serie A’s top two.
The Rossoneri went into the contest having picked up only one victory from their previous three league matches, leaving them 12 points behind city rivals and table toppers Inter.
Sassuolo are the only team to have beaten Inter in the league this season but they have been in poor form, having won just one of their previous 11 matches and none of the last four.
Milan had Luka Jovic available after he picked up an ankle injury against Salernitana last time out, and the Serbian was named among the substitutes.
The hosts had the ball in the back of the net after only six minutes when Ismael Bennacer slotted it in but an obvious offside in the build-up meant it was quickly chalked off.
Tijjani Reijnders was the next to threaten with a shot well wide, while Bennacer did well to create a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box but sent his effort just past the near post.
Milan thought they had found the breakthrough 31 minutes in when Rafael Leao drilled the ball into the top corner but he was again denied by an offside flag having mistimed his run.
Sassuolo looked lively on the break and two minutes later Domenico Berardi forced Mike Maignan into the first real save of the match with a long-range effort that was tipped over the bar.
The visitors have leaked goals too readily this season but they would have been happy with their first-half display, and Milan were limited to brief glimpses in the early stages of the second half as well.
However, with 59 minutes gone, Pulisic tucked away the opener, the American timing his run perfectly to meet Bennacer’s pass into the box.
Ruan Tressoldi desperately tried to intercept but could not divert the ball away from Pulisic, and he beat Andrea Consigli in the Sassuolo net.
Armand Lauriente tried to get the visitors back on level terms but he was stretching as he hit his shot from the edge of the box and it was easily stopped by Maignan.
Milan boss Stefano Pioli sent on 18-year-old Kevin Zeroli for his senior debut, and they almost grabbed a second in the 78th minute but Alessandro Florenzi’s well-struck volley dipped just over the bar.
Substitute Samuel Chukweze had the final chance but his search for a first Serie A goal goes on after shooting narrowly wide of the far post.
Inter 3-2 Torino: Thuram hat-trick keeps Serie A champions within reach of top spot
Marcus Thuram plundered a hat-trick to propel Inter to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino in Saturday's Serie A clash.
The victory places Inter second in the league standings with 14 points, two behind leaders Napoli.
Visiting defender Guillermo Maripan was given a straight red card after 20 minutes for a late challenge on Thuram.
Inter swiftly made their numerical advantage count, with Thuram heading in from close range five minutes after the sending-off.
Thuram doubled Inter's lead in the 35th minute with another header from close range. However, Torino pulled one back a minute later, with Duvan Zapata taking advantage of a defensive error to finish from inside the box.
Thuram completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, being in the right place to tap in a rebound after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had saved a header.
Torino forward Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty four minutes from time after Hakan Calhanoglu had tripped Adam Masina in the area to tee up a grandstand finish.
However, the visitors were unable to mount a final push to find an equaliser.
Data Debrief: Three-goal Thuram does Torino damage
Thuram scored his second hat-trick while playing in the top five European Leagues (in all competitions), after his previous one for Borussia Monchengladbach against Oberachern in the German DFB-Pokal in 2022.
In doing so, he became only the third Inter player to score a hat-trick against Torino in Serie A, after Roberto Boninsegna in March 1974 and Edwin Ronald Firmani in December 1958.
Jones, Molino in, Levi Garcia excused as King names Soca Warriors squad for crucial CNL games against Cuba
Trinidad and Tobago’s interim Head coach Derek King will be without striker Levi Garcia but remains optimistic that his team will improve significantly in the goal scoring department in their crucial Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Cuba on October 10 and 14.
King, who was sweating over the fitness of Garcia, inevitably had to look past the AEK Athens striker. Garcia, who just returned from injury, was excused from international duty as requested by his club.
Still, King will have to make do with those available to him as the Soca Warriors face a must-win situation in both games to not only keep their quarterfinal ambitions alive but, more importantly, avoid relegation from League A.
They are currently at the foot of Group B with a point as Jamaica (four points) and Nicaragua (four points) occupy the top two positions. Honduras (three points), Cuba (two points), and French Guiana (one point) complete the standings.
“Levi has an injury at this point. We need six points, and so we are trying to get our best players on the park on the day,” King declared.
King’s final squad, which was named on Saturday, sees the return of former captain Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones, who both last represented the Twin Island Republic at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Toronto FC’s forward Tyrese Spicer has also been included in the squad, which departs for Cuba on Sunday.
After the October 10 fixture, both teams will fly back to Trinidad and Tobago for their final group fixture on October 14 to determine their fates in League A.
King expects Cuba to prove a tough opponent in both games.
“Cuba played slightly different in two matches. Away from home against Jamaica, they play with a back five. At home, they play with a back four. I think, they will be coming as well for three points, so we have to defend well, and, once we create our chances, we have to score our chances,” the caretaker coach shared.
King also explained the reason behind bringing former Inter Miami midfielder Jones, 33, and previously retired Molino, 34, into camp.
“With his [Molino’s] experience, a guy who played over 50 games for the country, played MLS (Major League Soccer) and stuff, I think sometimes there needs to be experience around the team.”
“I had a conversation with Molino; he’s been working hard, and so far he’s looking good. We’ll see how the final squad goes,” King said ahead of the final squad announcement.
“He [Jones] was not a hundred percent, but I think he did well. He knows he has to work on his fitness, and I think Joevin could bring a level of experience along with the younger guys that we have as well,” the tactician noted.
T&T Squad: Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Adrian Foncette, Justin Garcia, Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Alvin Jones, Tristan Hodge, Shannon Gomez, Ross Russell Jr, Noah Powder, Kevin Molino, Dantaye Gilbert, John Paul Rochford, Isiah Lee, Andre Ramparsard, Joevin Jones, Michel Poon Angeron, Kevon Woodley, Tyrese Spicer, Real Gil, Nathaniel James, Ryan Telfer
Fonseca has no intention of changing winning formula
Paulo Fonseca has no intention of changing a winning side, believing continuity is the key for Milan as they prepare to face Fiorentina.
Milan went without a win in their first three Serie A matches under Fonseca, but look to have found their groove in the league after winning each of the last three.
The Portuguese head coach is aiming to rack up four consecutive Serie A wins for just the second time in his career (after July-August 2020 with Roma), but Milan do go into this match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Fonseca looks set to stick with the side which won the derby with Inter and also beat Lecce last time out, meaning a return to the starting lineup for Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who started on the bench against the Bundesliga champions.
"Continuity is important right now," Fonseca told reporters.
"If the squad is in good form, it's important to keep as many players as possible in the 11 starters. That's not because I don't have faith in the others, but right now, I believe it is important to have a base.
"Morata is fine, he will play [on Sunday]."
Fonseca's stance means Strahinja Pavlovic will likely remain on the bench, despite the Serbian defender impressing when he played the full 90 minutes in the three league games prior to the derby.
"It is important to have stability mainly in defence," Fonseca added. "[Matteo] Gabbia and [Fikayo] Tomori have played some great games and I think Pavlovic must continue to work because he will have opportunities," Fonseca said.
"The two central players, Gabbia and Tomori, are doing well, and I think it's important to continue like this."
Milan were outplayed in the first half against Leverkusen on Tuesday, having only one shot compared to the hosts' 10, with six of those shots on target, though they did improve after conceding early in the second half.
The Rossoneri have now won just one of their last seven away Champions League games, also drawing three and losing three, so despite their positive league run, Fonseca is still looking for big improvements in his squad.
"Leverkusen are one of the strongest teams in Europe. We are in a period of growth," he said.
"Winning against Inter and Lecce doesn't mean we have arrived, we need to grow a lot. We are improving, but we have a lot more to improve. The real Milan is not yet close. We have to do more.
"We can have the same attitude as in the second half in Germany, but maybe the way of playing will be different because Fiorentina mark man to man, so our style will be different."
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