AC Milan got back to winning ways in Serie A with a 2-1 victory at Bologna yesterday, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in fine form to help his side open up a five-point lead at the top of the standings.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed the chance to put the leaders ahead when his spot kick was saved in the 26th minute but Ante Rebic latched onto the rebound to fire home. Bologna had three glorious chances to level before the end of the first half, but were denied by some brilliant saves from Donnarumma. Those stops proved crucial as Milan were awarded another penalty in the 55th minute. Franck Kessie converted from the spot to double his side’s lead. Substitute Andrea Poli got one back for the hosts in the 81st minute, but they could not find an equaliser despite plenty of late pressure.
Milan, who had lost their last two games in all competitions, moved onto 46 points, five clear of second-placed Inter Milan. Bologna stay 13th on 20 points.
Milan, who were unbeaten this season in Serie A until their loss to Juventus on Jan. 6, suffered their second league defeat of the campaign last weekend to Atalanta at home, before then losing to Inter in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia quarter final.
They started well in the Renato Dall’Ara Stadium, with Rebic bailing out Ibrahimovic after his poorly-placed penalty was saved. The goal meant Milan have found the net in 20 away league games in a row for the first time in their Serie A history, overtaking a 19-game goalscoring run between 1992 and 1993.
A needless handball from Adama Soumaoro gifted Milan their second spot kick, but again it was Bologna doing most of the attacking in the second half. There was nothing Donnarumma could have done about Poli’s arrowed strike, but the Milan stopper preserved a vital win for his side with another fine save late on


Juventus see off Sampdoria to climb to third place
Later, Federico Chiesa’s first-half goal and a stoppage-time Aaron Ramsey finish earned Juventus a 2-0 victory at Sampdoria, with the win sending Andrea Pirlo’s side third in the standings. In pouring rain in Genoa, Chiesa got on the end of a fine move to put Juventus in front after 20 minutes. Without a goal in his previous two league games, Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating first half, missing several chances while also being denied by some last-ditch Sampdoria defending. After the break, Sampdoria pressed for an equaliser, but Juve stood firm, and added a late second through Welshman Ramsey as the hosts were caught on the counter in the 91st minute.
The win moves Juve onto 39 points, seven behind leaders AC Milan, as they leapfrogged AS Roma, who are two points adrift in fourth ahead of their match with Hellas Verona today.


Serie A results
Bologna 1 (Poli 81) AC Milan 2 (Rebic 26, Kessie 55-pen); Sampdoria 0 Juventus 2 (Chiesa 20, Ramsey 90+1)
Playing Today: Sunday Spezia v Udinese (1130 GMT), Cagliari v Sassuolo, Crotone v Genoa, Atalanta v Lazio (all 1400) Napoli v Parma (1700), AS Roma v Hellas Verona (1945)