Dzeko scores 2 as Roma wins 4-1 at beleaguered AC Milan
MILAN (AP) — Edin Dzeko scored twice to help Roma to a 4-1 victory at AC Milan on Sunday and keep the capital side's title chances mathematically alive.
Roma moved back into second, seven points behind Juventus. The Bianconeri could clinch an unprecedented sixth successive Serie A title at Roma next Sunday.
Third-placed Napoli is a point behind Roma with three rounds remaining.
The new era at Milan continued without a win. It has now lost two matches and drawn two since the $800 million takeover by Chinese-led Rossoneri Sport Luxembourg ended Silvio Berlusconi's 31-year reign.
It could have been worse for Milan — if not for teenage goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Roma knew it needed to pick up at least a point to maintain its slender title hopes and it was aggressive from the start.
The visitors took just eight minutes to break the deadlock. Following a swift exchange of passes with Mohamed Salah, Dzeko curled into the right side of the net.
Roma almost doubled its lead in the 19th but Donnarumma pulled off a fantastic save to turn Diego Perotti's strike onto his left post.
At the other end, Wojciech Szczesny also did well to keep out Jose Sosa's screamer.
However, Dzeko doubled his tally shortly before the half-hour when he headed in a corner.
It was his 27th league goal of the season and he needs just two more to equal Rodolfo Volk as the Roma player with the most goals in a Serie A season. Volk set the target as far back as the 1930-31 campaign.
Dzeko also moved two clear of Torino forward Andrea Belotti in the race for the top goalscorer award.
Donnarumma again came to his side's rescue in the 38th as he fingertipped Radja Nainggolan's effort onto the post. Salah fired the rebound over from close range.
Milan thought it had got back into the match in the 76th with a diving header from Mario Pasalic following a corner but Roma restored its two-goal advantage two minutes later when former Rossoneri forward Stephan El Shaarawy curled a fantastic strike into the top right corner.
Daniele De Rossi crowned a brilliant night for the visitors with a late penalty, which Donnarumma got a hand to, after Gabriel Paletta was sent off for hauling down Salah.
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LAZIO 7, SAMPDORIA 3
Lazio's freescoring ways continued as it put seven past Sampdoria to take its tally to 16 goals in its past three matches and secure at least Europa League football.
It took Lazio less than two minutes to open the scoring at the Stadio Olimpico as Keita Balde Diao ran on to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's through ball and fired past Christian Puggioni from a tight angle.
Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha performed a stunning double save on Milan Djuricic and then Karol Linetty in the 17th minute. Sampdoria's chances of turning the match around evaporated moments later when Milan Skriniar was shown a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Keita.
Ciro Immobile slotted the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner.
Linetty got one back for Sampdoria in the 32nd but Wesley Hoedt bundled in a corner three minutes later to restore Lazio's two-goal advantage.
Felipe Anderson converted another penalty for Lazio three minutes later and Stefan de Vrij netted the home side's fifth on the stroke of halftime with a precise shot into the bottom right corner from outside the area.
There was a brief respite for Samp at the start of the second half before Senad Lulic headed in Lucas Biglia's cross in the 65th for 6-1 and Immobile doubled his tally five minutes later following a one-two with Keita.
Fabio Quagliarella netted another consolation for Sampdoria in the 72nd and converted a penalty in stoppage time after Wallace tripped Lucas Torreira.
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GENOA 1, INTER MILAN 0
Inter Milan's miserable run continued as it fell to its fifth defeat in six matches.
Stefano Pioli's side has now picked up just two points in its past eight matches and remained three points behind Milan and the final Europa League spot.
Genoa, which appealed for an early penalty when Gary Medel tripped Giovanni Simeone, broke the deadlock in the 70th. Samir Handanovic pushed Miguel Veloso's long-range shot onto the bar but Goran Pandev netted the rebound to punish his former team.
Inter had a chance to snatch a point three minutes from time when it was awarded a penalty after Nicolas Burdisso handled in the area but Genoa goalkeeper Eugenio Lamanna got down brilliantly to palm Antonio Candreva's spot kick off the line.
Inter midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia was sent off for dissent moments later.
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OTHER MATCHES
Atalanta was held to a 1-1 draw at Udinese but still look all but certain to qualify for Europe next season as it remained fifth, nine points ahead of Inter.
Fiorentina rescued a 2-2 draw at Sassuolo in a match that saw Nikola Kalinic's penalty saved and Gonzalo Rodriguez sent off for the visitors.
Palermo was relegated after drawing 1-1 at Chievo Verona and joins Pescara, which lost 1-0 at home to Crotone.
Empoli beat Bologna 3-1.