Super sub Politano strikes as Napoli down AC Milan to leapfrog opponents into second

[p]Knowing that perhaps only the winner of this match would have any remote chance of catching leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter[/a], it was a cagey start from these ‘best-of-the-rest’ sides.[/p][p]The first trouble came when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/milinkovic-savic-vanja/Mw0wd0xM/"]Vanja Milinkovic-Savic[/a] charged out and missed a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ac-milan/8Sa8HInO/"]Milan[/a] free-kick delivery, but the best that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pavlovic-strahinja/Qm2DVwBO/"]Strahinja Pavlovic[/a] could do was plant his header past the post.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/spinazzola-leonardo/UgYYWt1i/"]Leonardo Spinazzola[/a] then threatened for the hosts with a trademark cut inside and right-footed curler, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maignan-mike/S6gN2QNC/"]Mike Maignan[/a] was rooted to the spot as it sailed a whisker away from the top corner.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="53a214e1-1e6e-4b92-be88-fa05edc4b398" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="1fc42468-1411-4344-9b1a-4b5bf54dd5f9" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]That was about it for action in an uneventful first half, but the play was far more stretched after the break.[/p][p]Most of the good work was done by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a], who saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/giovane/Acdt8IJU/"]Giovane[/a]’s rasping shot turned past the post by Maignan, while Milan hardly troubled at the other end.[/p][p]The introduction of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alisson-santos/tYb4OysQ/"]Alisson Santos[/a] also looked promising for the hosts, and his influence indirectly resulted in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anguissa-andre-zambo/OtLZCB8S/"]Frank Anguissa[/a]’s header being collected easily by the Milan goalkeeper.[/p][p][b]But it was another Napoli substitute who ultimately made the difference. Just five minutes after coming on, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/politano-matteo/lxWZKRDD/"]Politano[/a] pounced onto [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-winter-koni/EFmPm0Qo/"]Koni De Winter[/a]’s weak clearing header at the back post and rasped a powerful volley low into the net.[/b][/p][image alt="Politano thumped home for Napoli" id="41592275-fbf1-4186-80e9-1cc662fd4815" credit-line="LaPresse / Sipa USA / Profimedia" guid="1f52b6d2-5cc0-402d-8ee0-7958fe596569" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]Only then did Milan’s attack ignite, though efforts from their own replacements, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gimenez-santiago/rNqz4i6M/"]Santiago Gimenez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leao-rafael/AqOPWN5s/"]Rafael Leao[/a], weren’t enough to prevent a fruitless trip to Campania.[/p][p]The result means Napoli jump to within seven points of Inter, though they won’t get the opportunity to take any points off the Nerazzurri in the final seven matchdays.[/p][p]They leapfrog Milan, who lose for just a second time on the road this season and miss the chance to complete a league double over Napoli for the first time since 2010/11.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lobotka-stanislav/0Qcw6Yy1/"]Stanislav Lobotka[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ac-milan-8Sa8HInO/napoli-69Dxbc61/?mid=b9eMZVoI"]Catch up on the match with Flashscore[/a][/b][/p]