Luka Jovic scored a minute after coming off the bench to help AC Milan snatch a 3-2 win at lowly Frosinone in Serie A on Saturday, and piled the pressure on second-place Juventus ahead of the Derby d’Italia.
Olivier Giroud scored one and set up the first Serie A goal for Mattia Gabbia, while Matías Soulé also recorded a goal and an assist for Frosinone.
Milan remained third but moved four points behind Juventus, which faces a daunting trip to Serie A leader Inter Milan on Sunday, with the Nerazzurri only a point ahead — and having played a match less.
Milan was looking to bounce back from last week’s dramatic draw against Bologna and it took the lead in the 17th minute when Rafael Leão whipped in a cross from the left for Giroud to head in at the back post.
However, Leão swiftly went from hero to villain as he gave away a penalty when he handled a cross from Francesco Gelli right on the line of the area. Soule confidently struck the spot kick into the left of the net.
Soulé helped turn the match around in the 65th minute with a through ball to Luca Mazzitelli, who somehow managed to squeeze it past Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan from the tightest of angles.
However, Milan was back on level terms seven minutes later when Giroud nodded Yacine Adli’s cross to Gabbia who scored his second goal for the Rossoneri after also finding the back of the net in the Champions League more than a year ago.
Jovic came on for Christian Pulisic with 10 minutes remaining and had an immediate impact. He was quickest to react to a favourable rebound off an opponent in the area to fire into the bottom left corner.
Jovic, who joined from Fiorentina at the start of the season, has scored four goals since the beginning of the year. He also netted three times in December after finally breaking his duck in Milan’s 3-1 win over Frosinone at San Siro on December 3.
FIGHT FOR FOURTH
Two late goals saw Bologna beat relegation-threatened Sassuolo 4-2 and move level with fourth-place Atalanta.
The visitors led at halftime following goals from Kristian Thorstvedt and Cristian Volpato, either side of an own-goal from Sassuolo defender Mattia Viti.
But Giovanni Fabbian headed in the equalizer in the 73rd and Lewis Ferguson fired Bologna ahead 10 minutes later before Alexis Saelemaeker sealed the result with four minutes remaining.
It was Bologna’s first win in six matches and moved it level with Atalanta, which faces a direct battle for fourth spot on Sunday as it hosts Lazio with just two points separating them.
Sassuolo was a point above the bottom three.
ENERGIZED EMPOLI
Empoli continued its positive run under new coach David Nicola with a 0-0 draw at home to Genoa.
Home forward Nicolò Cambiaghi saw his effort deflected onto the post, while Djed Spence’s header was cleared off the line by Empoli defender Sebastiano Luperto.
Genoa also had a goal disallowed for offside and saw defender Koni De Winter sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.
Nicola replaced the fired Aurelio Andreazzoli last month and beat Monza 3-0 on his debut before drawing at Juventus last weekend.
Empoli remained last but one but moved level on points with Hellas Verona, which is in the last place of safety.
Genoa remained in midtable, level on points with Monza, which drew 0-0 at Udinese.
Monza was denied by a late goalline clearance as Udinese moved a point above the drop zone
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