MILAN: AC Milan let slip a two-goal lead for the second time in three league matches and also lost key player Rafael Leão to injury in a drama-filled 2-2 draw at Lecce in Serie A on Saturday.
Milan appeared to be heading for their first league win in more than a month following goals from Olivier Giroud and Tijjani Reijnders but Lecce drew level in the second half with two goals in four minutes from Nicola Sansone and Lameck Banda.
Lecce had what would have been a stoppage-time winner ruled out by the video assistant referee, moments after Milan forward Giroud was sent off.
Milan remained third but will be overtaken by Napoli if the defending champion beat Empoli on Sunday.
Juventus moved a point clear at the top of Serie A with a 2-1 win over Cagliari. Inter Milan can retake the lead when they host Frosinone on Sunday.
Juventus host Inter after the international break.
Milan were hoping to get back on track in Serie A after ending a winless run with a 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Rossoneri were already without a number of players, including United States standout Christian Pulisic, and their injury crisis deepened when Leão limped off in the 10th minute.
His replacement Noah Okafor had a hand in the opening goal in the 28th minute as he played a one-two with Theo Hernández, who then cut into the box and crossed for Giroud to chest in from point-blank range, marking his 100th appearance for Milan with a goal.
Milan doubled their lead seven minutes later with a superb solo goal from Reijnders, who raced downfield from near the halfway line before firing past Wladimiro Falcone for his first goal for Milan since joining from AZ Alkmaar in the offseason.
Reijnders almost did the same three minutes later but hit the right post.
Milan had let a two-goal, halftime lead slip in a 2-2 draw at Napoli at the end of October and the same was to happen at Lecce.
Lecce coach Roberto D’Aversa made a triple change in the 63rd minute, bringing on Alexis Blin, Sansone and Roberto Piccoli and that proved a masterstroke.
Blin nodded on a corner three minutes later for Sansone to tap in and the latter was also involved in the equalizer as he touched on Piccoli’s cross for Banda to fire into the far bottom corner.
Sansone almost scored the winner five minutes from time, but his header came off the left post and then rolled across the face of the empty goal.
There was more drama to come as Giroud was sent off in stoppage time, receiving two yellow cards in a matter of seconds for continuous dissent.
Piccoli then appeared to have scored with a stunning long-range strike to send the home fans wild and he was surrounded by celebrating teammates, but their joy turned to dismay when it was ruled out for a foul by the young forward on Milan defender Malick Thiaw.
JUVENTUS WIN
Two dead-ball situations for Filip Kostić. Two goals for Juventus.
After a drab first half, Juventus broke the deadlock against Cagliari on the hour mark when Kostić whipped in a free kick to the back post where Bremer was left unmarked to head into the far side of the net.
Juventus doubled their lead 10 minutes later in unusual circumstances. Kostić’s corner came off Daniel Rugani’s chest and onto the crossbar but Rugani chested in the rebound.
Cagliari’s goal also came from a corner and was headed in by Alberto Dossena.
It was the first goal Juventus had conceded in more than 600 minutes, since a 4-2 loss at Sassuolo in September.
Dossena almost snatched an equalizer late on but Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny fingertipped the header onto the post.
Claudio Ranieri's Cagliari had won their last two matches for their first victories back in Serie A.
AC Milan again let slip a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Lecce, Juventus beat Cagliari to go top
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AC Milan again let slip a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Lecce, Juventus beat Cagliari to go top
- Lecce drew level in the second half with two goals in four minutes
- Milan remained third but will be overtaken by Napoli if the defending champion beat Empoli on Sunday
Barcelona blitz Athletic Bilbao 5-0 to book place in Super Cup final
- Catalans turn uncertainty into complete control with breathtaking 16-minute spell that saw them race into a four-goal lead before the interval
- Raphinha struck again early in the second half, once more exploiting space down the flanks to extend the lead to 5-0
JEDDAH: It did not look like the easiest opening 20 minutes for Barcelona in Jeddah during their encounter with Athletic Bilbao. Yet in a breathtaking 16-minute spell, the Catalans turned uncertainty into complete control, racing into a four-goal lead before the interval.
More than 50,000 fans packed the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah to witness the spectacle, although the likes of Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal were rested, allowing opportunities for youngsters like Roony Bardghji and Fermin Lopez.
Lopez would emerge as one of the standout performers of the night. While his threat inside the box was evident, it was his creativity that truly shone in front of the Jeddawi crowd.
Barcelona broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute. A sweeping move from side to side ended with Raphinha finding Bardghji on the right, whose cutback was met by Lopez before being laid off for Ferran Torres to finish calmly for 1-0.
Just eight minutes later, an exquisite backheel from Pedri released Raphinha down the left flank once again, with his low cross this time finding Lopez to double Barcelona’s advantage.
Lopez contributed to his third goal of the night minutes later, this time slipping Bardghji down the right. The Kuwaiti-born winger skipped past Adama Boiro before striking at goal, with Unai Simon mishandling the ball as it trickled over the line.
The Blaugrana showed no signs of slowing down. Raphina finally got on the scoresheet in emphatic fashion with a belter into the top corner in the 38th minute.
To the surprise of many, neither side made any changes at the break. That decision quickly proved costly for Bilbao, as Raphinha struck again early in the second half, once more exploiting space down the flanks to extend the lead to 5-0.
With the contest beyond reach, Athletic head coach Ernesto Valverde rang the changes, making five substitutions to give minutes to his squad.
Barcelona, meanwhile, eased off to conserve energy ahead of Sunday’s final. To the delight of the crowd, both Rashford and Yamal were introduced, with Yamal receiving a warm standing ovation upon his entrance in the 72nd minute.
The emphatic victory marks Barcelona’s second consecutive five-goal display in the Spanish Super Cup, following last year’s 5-2 triumph over Real Madrid in the final.
The second semi-final takes place on Thursday, as Real Madrid face Atlético Madrid, with the winner set to meet Barcelona in Sunday’s final.
