Balotelli helps Milan tighten grip on third
Reuters - Friday 08 March 2013, 21:56
Mario
Balotelli came off the bench to help 10-man AC Milan record a 2-0
victory at Genoa on Friday that tightened their grip on third place in
Serie A ahead of Tuesday's Champions League return match with Barcelona.
Balotelli
netted on the hour, after he had replaced the other scorer Giampaolo
Pazzini in the first half, to give Milan the cushion they needed
following the 65th-minute dismissal of utility player Kevin Constant for
lashing out at Genoa defender Cesare Bovo.
"The sending-off meant we suffered a bit," coach Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.
"It's
annoying. We are at a stage of the season where this sort of stuff
shouldn't happen especially at a moment in the match when we were
looking calm."
Pazzini was hobbling on the sidelines after clashing with Daniele Portanova but three minutes later he opened the scoring.
The
striker limped towards the edge of the area in the 22nd minute, a cross
deflected into his path and he hammered the ball past Genoa keeper
Sebastian Frey.
PAZZINI SWANSONG
It was Pazzini's swansong and he gave way to Balotelli three minutes later.
"We'll have to evaluate his condition over the next couple of days," said Allegri of his striker's injury.
Genoa
reacted well to going behind and could have been awarded two penalties
when M'baye Niang appeared to handle in the 33rd minute and again six
minutes later when he pushed Andreas Granqvist as the defender was
challenging for a header.
"They were both penalties," said Genoa manager Davide Ballardini.
Bovo
also hit the post with a thumping free-kick early in the second half
before Balotelli gathered a through ball and rifled the ball home from a
tight angle.
The game looked
to be up for Genoa but after being chopped down by Bovo, the
already-booked Constant gave his opponents a chance to get back in the
game.
Milan's defence held
firm though and they can now eye second place in the table and automatic
qualification for next season's Champions League.
Allegri's team take a 2-0 lead into this season's Champions League last 16 second leg in Barcelona in midweek.