(Football news) AC Milan ended their seven-game winless run after a second-half header by Olivier Giroud earned a 1-0 home win over Torino in Serie A on Friday. Milan last won a game over a month ago when the league restarted after the World Cup break as they moved up to third from sixth in the standings on 41 points from 22 games. Milan, who are going to host Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, were immediately under pressure in the first half as Torino quickly gained confidence in search of an early advantage.
The visitors had an easy chance in the 18th minute when striker Antonio Sanabria’s low shot from outside of the box went just wide. Torino had another chance three minutes later but Ciprian Tatarusanu kept out Sanabria’s effort but the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul in the build-up. Milan after the break came out with an added incentive with Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic watching from the bench as he recovered from a long-term ACL injury. The hosts had their first proper chance in the 54th minute when Rafael Leao shot from inside the box but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved his first-time shot.
Pioli’s men finally broke the deadlock after the hour mark when Giroud headed home from a cross from the returning Theo Hernandez. Milan went looking for another goal and Hernandez had a chance to double the lead on a swift counter-attack in the 76th minute but the French international dragged his shot wide. It had been more than three months since Milan kept a clean sheet in Serie A as their last clean sheet came on Nov. 8 against Cremonese. Torino, who beat Udinese 1-0 last time, remained seventh on 30 points as they moved eight points away from the European spots. Torino take on bottom side Cremonese on Feb. 20 as Milan travel to Monza on Feb. 18.
“I expected a difficult game, it makes you play little and doesn’t let you build cleanly,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli told DAZN. “We worked a lot inside the match, the goal then unblocked us from a mental point of view and then we were a better team compared to the beginning of the match.
“It’s a small step forward that was needed. We have to look ahead, the season is still long. To make the Champions League again next year is a good result, we have to give continuity in the next matches. With this victory we move forward,” Hernandez said. “When you lose so many games it’s only a mental problem; we are a strong team, all united and the fans are with us.”
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