AC Milan secures dramatic win over Frosinone to keep Serie A title hopes alive

AC Milan kept their Serie A title hopes alive with a dramatic 3-2 victory at Frosinone.

The Rossoneri led and then trailed in an eventful game that was ultimately settled when substitute Luka Jovic scored with his first touch nine minutes from time.

Frosinone have a strong home record, where they have picked up 21 of their 24 points, and were never going to give Milan an easy night.

Olivier Giroud‘s early header, from a delicious Rafael Leao cross, was soon cancelled out when Leao was penalised for handball and Matias Soule scored confidently from the spot.

Milan were in serious trouble when the Frosinone captain Luca Mazzitelli put them ahead in the 65th minute after a mistake from Mike Maignan, but the prospect of defeat roused them from their slumber.

Matteo Gabbia equalised with his first goal in Serie A, and then Jovic continued his fine recent form with a smart reaction finish.

The result keeps Milan on the fringes of the title race, five points behind the leaders Inter Milan having played two games more.

They know that at least one of Inter and Juventus, who meet on Sunday, will drop points this weekend. It was essential Milan closed the gap at the top; Jovic’s clinical finish ensured they did so.

For the short time that Frosinone led 2-1, the main topic of conversation was the availability of Antonio Conte as a potential replacement for Stefano Pioli.

Milan’s comeback silenced that chatter for now, but the scrutiny and pressure are not going to go away.

It feels a little harsh, given Milan have taken 20 points from their last eight games, but Pioli knows that’s the reality of managing a giant club.

At times he flattered to deceive, but Leao was comfortably the most elegant and penetrative player on the pitch.

His sumptuous cross created Olivier Giroud’s goal, and though he gave away a penalty shortly after, it was for a handball that he knew nothing about.

In the second half Leao tormented Francesco Gelli, whose legs almost turned to his surname at one stage, and all three goals came from attacks down the Milan left.

At his best, he is a class above almost everyone else in Serie A.

Frosinone: Turati, Gelli, Okoli, Romagnoli, Brescianini, Mazzitelli, Barrenchea, Harroui, Seck, Kaio Jorge, Soule.

Milan: Maignan, Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, T Hernandez, Adli, Reijnders, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Rafael Leao, Giroud.