Okafor Bags Late Winner For AC Milan As Hosts See Three Players See Red

Noah Okafor scored late as AC Milan won a crucial 1-0 victory over Lazio in Serie A on Friday night. Lazio were reduced to ten men as Luca Pellegrini was sent off for his second bookable offence.

The hosts appeared to be in control until Okafor scored just before 90 minutes. Matteo Guendouzi and Adam Marusic were sent off late on, leaving Lazio with eight players.

Noah Okafor’s late winner gave AC Milan a 1-0 victory over a Lazio team that miraculously concluded a heated encounter with eight men.

A frenetic match with few significant chances in the first hour was shot into life when Luca Pellegrini was issued a second yellow card midway through the second half.

Both sides had big opportunities and Rafael Leao had a strike ruled out for offside before Okafor’s scrappy strike made the breakthrough in the 88th minute.

Lazio then lost two more players in stoppage time as Adam Marusic and Matteo Guendouzi were shown straight red cards by referee Marco Di Bello, leading to a spicy conclusion as the two squads came together as the full-time whistle blew.

The result ended Milan’s three-match winless run and sent them one point behind Juventus in third, while Lazio are ninth after suffering a third defeat in four games.

The boos that poured down from the Stadio Olimpico stands at full-time were deafening, and many were aimed at referee Di Bello after a night where little went the home side’s way.

It’s rare to see three red cards dished out in a match and the hosts will take issue with all three in what is certain to be a big discussion point in the days and weeks ahead.

What’s more, it further depletes an already stretched squad as Pellegrini, Marusic and Guendouzi will now be suspended for the visit of Udinese next Monday.