Pierre Kalulu’s first goal of the season proved enough for Milan to see off Empoli at San Siro and consolidate their Serie A leadership.
Theo Hernandez was suspended, with Alessio Romagnoli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic only fit for the bench, so Alessandro Florenzi stepped in for the leaders. Riccardo Marchizza and Nicolas Haas are out for the season, while Andrea Pinamonti was preferred to ex-Rossoneri striker Patrick Cutrone.
Guglielmo Vicario was at full stretch to make the save on Florenzi, who tried to bend it into the far bottom corner after a give-and-go with Franck Kessie.
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Milan took the lead with an Olivier Giroud free kick hit the wall, but fell to Pierre Kalulu to fire into the far bottom corner with the inside of his left boot from outside the D.
Florenzi again went close, firing wide after a Rafael Leao back-heel flick, and Andrea Pinamonti turned over the bar.
Giroud’s header was palmed off the line by Vicario and as the move continued, a Kessie volley was charged down in the six-yard box.
After the restart, Empoli had a huge chance to equalise, a cross taking a touch off Sebastiano Luperto’s head with Mike Maignan getting his fingertips to push it round the post. Maignan was also tested by the in-swinging Nedim Bajrami corner, having to shove it out from under the crossbar.
Junior Messias blasted straight at Vicario, while Alexis Saelemaekers had to make a decisive interception with Szymon Zurkowski lining up the finish and Fikayo Tomori flung himself in the way of Patrick Cutrone’s strike.
Milan 1-0 Empoli
Kalulu 19 (M)
Grande Kalulu! FORZA MILAN!!