Noah Okafor struck late to fire AC Milan to a 1-0 win at Lazio on Friday in a fiery Serie A match in Rome which finished with the outraged hosts down to eight men.
Switzerland forward Okafor forced home his fifth league goal of the season with two minutes remaining, pushing Milan up to 56 points in third place and further strengthening his team’s position in Italy’s Champions League spots.
Stefano Pioli’s Milan are still 13 points behind league leaders Inter Milan, who host Genoa on Monday, but are just one behind second-placed Juventus.
Juve are at Napoli in Sunday night’s big game and have Milan breathing down their necks after a poor recent run of form.
Okafor’s strike was the most exciting moment of football in a niggly game in which Lazio had two players sent off in stoppage time, with a cascade of boos from dumbfounded home fans greeting the final whistle.
Friday’s win also moved Milan 10 points ahead from fifth-placed Atalanta who on Sunday host Bologna, this year’s surprise package in fourth.
