Milan reclaims top spot with key win, Napoli slips in title fight
AC Milan's Sandro Tonali (R) celebrates with Zlatan Ibrahimovic after scoring against Lazio, Rome, Italy, April 24, 2022. (Reuters Photo)


AC Milan reclaimed the Serie A top spot after Sandro Tonali's last-gasp goal gave his side a 2-1 win at Lazio Sunday, while Napoli's title hopes came crashing down following a meltdown in Empoli.

Ciro Immobile gave Lazio an early lead at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, but Olivier Giroud leveled shortly after halftime before Tonali's late heroics kept Milan firmly in the title hunt.

It moved back two points above Inter, who beat Roma 3-1 on Saturday and has a game in hand Wednesday away to Bologna. Inter also knocked Milan out of the Italian Cup semifinals in midweek.

Ciro Immobile became the leading active scorer in Italy's top-flight when he turned in a cross from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic inside four minutes.

The Italy international's 181st Serie A goal took him past the veteran Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella as Immobile extended his league-leading haul for the season to 26.

But Giroud poked in after excellent work from Rafael Leao, and Milan won it at the death as Zlatan Ibrahimovic nodded across for Tonali to force home following a poor defensive header by Francesco Acerbi.

"My players are lions," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli.

"I am so proud of my players and if I was in their shoes, I'd be angry, as people don't give them enough credit," he told DAZN.

Empoli players celebrate the winning goal against Napoli, Empoli, Italy, April 24, 2022. (AFP Photo)

Napoli stunned by Empoli

Napoli's Scudetto prospects are hanging by a thread after it blew a two-goal lead late on and crashed to a shock 3-2 loss at Empoli.

Luciano Spalletti's side was 2-0 ahead with 10 minutes to go before Scottish midfielder Liam Henderson sparked a revival for the host side, who scored three goals in an eight-minute spell.

With four matches to play this season, Napoli is seven points behind Milan and five adrift of second-placed Inter.

Napoli has not won the Serie A title since the days of club legend Diego Maradona, who led it to two league crowns in 1987 and 1990.

Dries Mertens opened the scoring just before the break with Lorenzo Insigne adding a second eight minutes after the interval.

But Napoli's defense collapsed in the absence of the suspended Kalidou Koulibaly.

A lapse from Kevin Malcuit allowed Henderson to pull a goal back after 80 minutes, with Andrea Pinamonti charging down visiting goalkeeper Alex Meret to grab the equalizer after 83 minutes.

Pinamonti added a second five minutes later as Empoli ended their 16-match winless run going back to Dec. 12 when they beat Napoli 1-0 in Naples.

"Imagining such an end to the match is difficult," said Spalletti, whose side has now gone three matches without a win.

"But these are games where the opponent continues to fight with the right attitude when we probably lost a bit of our focus and made mistakes that we shouldn't make.

"I'm responsible for this team, for its technical and mental attitude, I have to take the consequences for what happens on the pitch."

Champions League qualification does not seem threatened as Napoli still has a nine-point cushion over Roma in fifth.