TWO second-half goals secured lowly Spezia a shock 2-0 home win over AC Milan in Serie A yesterday, condemning Stefano Pioli’s side to their first league loss in two months and denting their top-four hopes.
Defender Przemyslaw Wisniewski and midfielder Salvatore Esposito helped Spezia earn their first win in nine games and move them closer to safety.
Milan, who play Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday after losing 2-0 at home, have won only two of their last seven league matches.
Meanwhile, two goals by striker Romelu Lukaku helped Inter Milan to a 4-2 win over mid-table Sassuolo, lifting them up to third with three games remaining in the season.
Lukaku fired home from long range to give Inter the lead late in the first half before Sassuolo defender Ruan Tressoldi doubled Inter’s lead with an own goal.
Lautaro Martinez made it 3-0 from distance but Sassuolo pulled two goals back through Matheus Henrique and Davide Frattesi to keep Inter on their toes until Lukaku sealed the win with a close-range finish one minute from time.
Inter moved on to 66 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Lazio and five more than neighbours Milan who remain fifth.
Milan had clear chances to take the lead in an entertaining first half when Sandro Tonali hit the post in the sixth minute and a powerful shot from outside the box by Theo Hernandez was saved by keeper Bartlomiej Dragowski.
It was the first time since 2017 that Milan had lost to opponents in the bottom three places in the standings.
Atalanta dropped one place to seventh earlier yesterday after losing 1-0 at 15th-placed Salernitana who sealed the win in stoppage time through midfielder Antonio Candreva.
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