Milan derby ends goalless; Torino batter relegation-bound Crotone
Rome, April 5 (IANS) AC Milan and Inter Milan played a goalless draw in the derby, while Torino romped 4-1 over a Crotone side that sit 18th in Serie A with eight matches left in the season.
More than 78,000 people filled the stands at AC Milan’s San Siro stadium on Wednesday to watch the 168th installment of the rivalry.
While Inter were the more aggressive team to start, the hosts created the first scoring chance, a thunderous Leonardo Bonucci header from point-blank range in the 22nd minute that forced a fine save from visiting keeper Samir Handanovic.
Mauro Icardi thought he put Inter ahead in the 38th minute, only for the goal to be called back after VAR spotted that the Argentine scored from an offside position.
Inter remained on the attack after the break and it was only the cross-bar that stopped Ivan Perisic’s shot from going in the net. Minutes later, Icardi squandered a solid opportunity set up by a cross from Antonio Candreva.
Handanovic denied Patrick Cutrone in a one-on-one dual and Nikola Kalinic’s feeble header in stoppage time off a great pass from Suso caused no trouble for the Inter goalkeeper.
The final chance went to Inter, but Icardi inexplicably failed to put the ball past an out-of-position Gianluigi Donnarumma and the game ended 0-0.
Inter, with 59 points, remain in fourth place, two points ahead of Lazio. AC Milan are in the sixth spot, with 51 points.
In Turin, Andrea Belotti had a hat trick to lead Torino 4-1 over Crotone.
Iago Falque got the fourth goal as 10th-place Torino won their second straight match to climb to 42 points. With 24 points, Crotone are two points from safety.
Sassuola, playing with nine men, salvaged a 1-1 draw against Chievo thanks to a strike in the 95th minute by Francesco Cassata.
The outcome left both clubs with 30 points, though Chievo are one rung above Sassuola in the table – 15th – by virtue of better goal difference.