Nkunku and Athekame lead AC Milan past Genoa to strengthen Champions League hopes

[p]Just one win in six (W1, D1) has not only seen the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ac-milan/8Sa8HInO/"]Rossoneri[/a]’s title challenge crumble, but has also left them in real danger of missing out on a UCL spot.[/p][p]In fact, ahead of kick-off, an under-pressure Allegri had seen his side's eight-point lead over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]AS Roma[/a] evaporate in the space of three games, leaving Milan inside the top four on H2H record alone.[/p][p]That instability appeared to translate onto the pitch in an unconvincing start in which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genoa/d0PJxeie/"]Genoa[/a] threatened first through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vitinha/AazXYT3h/"]Vitinha[/a], who bent an effort at the back post just wide of the top corner. [/p][p]As the half wore on, Milan played themselves into the contest, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marcandalli-alessandro/6BUzxLAe/"]Alessandro Marcandalli[/a] making a vital challenge to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gimenez-santiago/rNqz4i6M/"]Santiago Giménez[/a] a close-range shot at goal, shortly before his back-post interception prevented [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nkunku-christopher/8liaG2W0/"]Christopher Nkunku[/a] from tapping home.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="90e5f0d3-e0e8-41de-89d9-1b38bc569f75" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="df9e48d3-3d22-4c8a-8bfe-90819a26fc7c" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]But with half time approaching, news filtered in of a Roma goal, which dropped Milan out of the UCL positions heading into the break.[/p][p]After a first period devoid of clear-cut chances, Genoa were facing the prospect of a fourth successive league blank for the first time since February 2022.[/p][p]But with safety assured and no European prospects, the spotlight was firmly on Milan, who wasted little time after the restart.[/p][p][b]A mistake from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/amorim/zB4mmvek/"]Alex Amorim[/a] forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bijlow-justin/65xR64Rt/"]Justin Bijlow[/a] off his line, where he brought down Nkunku as he rounded the goalkeeper, allowing the Frenchman to break the deadlock with his second penalty goal in as many matches.[/b][/p][embed guid="9118b63d-09cd-495e-963f-d784bea1b11a" url="https://x.com/SerieA_EN/status/2055977796153848154" social-type="twitter" /][p]Given Genoa’s position in the table, a low-key second half was perhaps unsurprising, with no great sense of urgency to find a leveller.[/p][p][b]Chances were largely at a premium, and after Vitinha scuffed a presentable opportunity over the bar, Milan doubled their lead through a drilled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/athekame-zachary/SKo5ZCrQ/"]Zachary Athekame[/a] effort nine minutes from time. [/b][/p][embed guid="cf3fdf28-ec67-4837-b5fa-6d47dfddd4a9" url="https://x.com/SerieA_EN/status/2055979903959617886" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekhator-jeff/QopKhlIm/"]Jeff Ekhator[/a] had the chance to immediately halve the deficit when a loose pass put him through one-on-one, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maignan-mike/S6gN2QNC/"]Mike Maignan[/a] was alert to thwart him.[/p][p][b]Captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vasquez-johan/Qydfoeer/"]Johan Vásquez[/a] scrambled in his first goal of the season from close range moments later, setting up an intriguing finale, but there was ultimately no comeback as Genoa fell short.[/b][/p][p]An eighth league defeat against current top-10 opposition this season has little effect on Genoa, keeping them 14th with midtable obscurity already assured.[/p][p]As for Milan, three crucial points see them climb to third, yet just two points separate themselves and sixth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Juventus[/a] heading into the final game of the season.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vasquez-johan/Qydfoeer/"]Johan Vásquez[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genoa/d0PJxeie/"]Genoa[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ac-milan-8Sa8HInO/genoa-d0PJxeie/summary/stats/?mid=2c0LCuJG"]Check out all the match stats with Flashscore[/a][/b][/p]