The Japan Times - Leao double fires AC Milan past Fiorentina and top of Serie A

Portugal winger Leao gave Milan the points at the San Siro with a coolly-taken spot-kick with four minutes remaining, pushing his team one point ahead of local rivals Inter Milan, Napoli and Roma.

That goal capped Leao's first league start of the season, and came after he drew the hosts level in the 63rd minute with a brilliantly struck effort from distance.

Milan took advantage of both Napoli and Roma losing in a low-scoring weekend in Italy's top flight, which has featured seven goals and four goalless draws in the nine matches played so far.

Cremonese and Udinese complete the seventh round of matches on Monday night.

Leao's goal was a relief for Milan coach Massmiliano Allegri, who has had to deal with a spate of injuries, including to key players Adrien Rabiot and Christian Pulisic who were hurt on international duty and will not be back for weeks.

The 26-year-old's brace cancelled out Robin Gosens's opener in the 55th minute for Fiorentina, who are still seeking their first league win of the season under former Milan coach Pioli and sit in the relegation zone.

Pioli won Serie A with Milan in 2022 but is struggling to get a tune out of Fiorentina, although Sunday night's display was an improvement on others in the early weeks of the campaign.

- Como sink Juve -

Earlier, Nico Paz shone again for Como with a goal and assist in a landmark 2-0 win over Juventus, which lifted the traditionally tiny club up to sixth place.

Argentina international Paz set up Marc-Oliver Kempf to sweep home in the fourth minute at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, before making sure of Como's first win against Juve since 1952 with a wonderful individual goal with 12 minutes remaining.

Owned by tobacco giant Djarum and coached by former Spain and Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas, ambitious Como are on 12 points from seven matches, only four behind Milan.

Paz, 21, was signed from Real Madrid in August last year and after an impressive debut season in Italy, he has been a key part of Como's strong start to this campaign with four goals and as many assists.

"He's a great player, I'm not worried about his future because I can tell when a player is hungry, whether they have the right mentality to become a top player or whether they're a flash in the pan," said Fabregas to DAZN.

Paz's fine display on Sunday left Juve without a win since a dramatic victory over arch-rivals Inter just over a month ago.

Igor Tudor's Juve came into Sunday's lunchtime fixture unbeaten this season but on a run of five straight draws in all competitions.

Defeat ended a tough week for Juve, who lost starting centre-back Gleison Bremer until the end of the year with a knee ligament tear and are under investigation by European governing body UEFA for financial fair play breaches.

And next week offers the huge task of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Juve on two points following their first two matches in this season's Champions League.

Riccardo Orsolini helped move Bologna a point above Como and into fifth spot with his fifth goal of the season in a comfortable 2-0 win at Cagliari.

T.Shimizu--JT