Milan stuns Juventus on disputed penalty

AC Milan's Brazilian forward Robinho scores from a penalty kick during the Serie A match against Juventus at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Sunday.

Photo by AP

More in photo gallery

AC Milan earned a controversial 1-0 win over defending champion and Serie A leader Juventus on Sunday after another disputed goal at the San Siro.

Robinho scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot after Mauricio Isla was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, although replays showed it appeared to have struck his side.

Sebastian Giovinco went closest to equalizing for Juventus but Milan always looked dangerous on the counter and had several chances to extend its lead as it recorded a morale-boosting win.

"I believe the lads deserved this win, regardless of whether the penalty should have been given or not," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said.

"Having seen replays it looks like it wasn't a penalty. We have to always play with this intensity, even against the bottom team. Everyone said before the Napoli game that we were a dead team and instead we've had a great week."

It was only Juventus' second loss in 53 league games. Inter Milan can now close the gap to one point if it beats Parma yesterday.

Milan fans may feel it goes some way to atoning for a refereeing error in last season's match, which ended 1-1 after Sulley Muntari's goal was not spotted by the officials.

That match was a title showdown nine months ago, but few expected anything other than a Juventus win this time around, with Milan lying a dismal 12th and having lost six games already this season.

Elsewhere, AS Roma won 1-0 at struggling Pescara to mark a happy return for coach Zdenek Zeman to the club he steered to promotion as Serie B winner last season.

Milan President Silvio Berlusconi had made another visit to the training ground on Saturday to give the squad a pep talk and just like last week it had an immediate effect.

After his visit to Milanello last week, Milan came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at title-chasing Napoli. It went on in midweek to secure qualification for the Champions League knockout stage.

Berlusconi was in the stands watching along with former Milan icon Marco van Basten.

Right back Mattia De Sciglio gave Milan hope in the fifth minute when he danced past Andrea Pirlo then Kwadwo Asamoah to hit an angled shot which forced Gianluigi Buffon to save with his fingertips.

A Stephan El Shaarawy shot was then blocked as he wound up from 20 metres and on the half-hour the 20-year-old striker hit a weak effort that Buffon caught. A minute later the referee pointed to the spot after an apparent handball in the area by Chilean Isla as El Shaarawy rose for a cross.

Email Story    Printable View    Blog Story    Copy Headline/URL