Milan pull away, Juve´s Krasic downs Lazio

AC Milan went six points clear at the top of Serie A on Sunday after winning for the 10th time in 12 league games with a 3-0 success at Bologna while Lazio slumped to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Juventus.

Goals from Kevin-Prince Boateng, Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic eased Milan to a comfortable victory which also guarantees top spot in a week’s time when Serie A shuts down for its winter break.

Ibrahimovic said the 12.30 kick-off time had presented a new challenge.

“We won 3-0, it was a hard game, it’s the first time we’ve played at midday, it wasn’t easy but we won and that’s the most important thing,” he said.

“Everything’s possible, we’re in the running for all the trophies (league, cup and Champions League). We have to keep going, don’t relax, there’s still lots of games left so we’ll talk about the title another time.”

With Ghana midfielder Boateng playing in the holding role between midfield and attack, Milan were totally dominant.

Bologna had the first chance with a speculative effort from distance from Gaston Ramirez that Christian Abbiati tipped around the post.

Thereafter it was all Milan and they went ahead on nine minutes as Ibrahimovic hit an inswinging cross from the left and Boateng burst into the box between two defenders to stretch out his right leg and prod the ball home from six yards.

The second came on 35 minutes as Robinho shot between goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano’s legs after a Boateng flick slipped him in on goal.

It could have been worse for Bologna as Robinho then played in Ibrahimovic who also shot between Viviano’s legs but this time the ball clipped one of them and diverted wide.

Then, deep into injury time, hesitancy in the Bologna defence allowed Gianluca Zambrotta to win the ball in the box and fire a shot off the crossbar.

Abbiati almost gifted Bologna a goal when he ran out wide to prevent a corner but was then dispossessed outside his box before he could clear his lines only for Ramirez’s snap-shot to hit the side-netting.

The game was over on the hour mark as Pirlo’s inch-perfect pass picked out Ibrahimovic and the big Swede did the rest.

There was still time for Milan to concede what was the first penalty against them this season when Marco Di Vaio flung himself to the ground after slight contact with substitute Clarence Seedorf.

But Abbiati dived to his right to stop Di Vaio’s spot-kick.

In Turin, Milos Krasic scored a stunning individual winner with the last kick of the game to sink Lazio as Juventus leapt over the Rome side and into second place.

Giorgio Chiellini gave Juve the lead only for Mauro Zarate to equalise.

Lazio dropped to fourth on the same number of points with Napoli third following their 1-0 win at Genoa on Saturday.

Juventus took the lead just two minutes in as a determined Chiellini stooped to head in Alberto Aquilani’s corner.

Juve were on top in the early stages and Krasic beat Luis Cavanda down the right and pulled the ball back but Fabio Quagliarella sent his effort well off target.

Lazio were level on 14 minutes as goalkeeper Marco Storari blundered at a corner with Hernanes turning the ball into area and Zarate shooting home off the far post.

Aquilani had a free-kick deflect off the wall and clip the bar while a mistake in the Lazio backline allowed Krasic to chip Ferdinando Muslera but the ball also cleared the bar.

In the second period it was all Juve but Muslera got down well to save from Aquilani and substitute Simone Pepe.

Deep into injury time Muslera saved his side by tipping Alessandro Del Piero’s free-kick over the bar.

But then with added time running out, Krasic beat Cavanda on the right and surged in on goal before shooting at Muslera’s near post, the Uruguayan goalkeeper managing only to help the ball into the net.