Clinical Pavlovic Sends Milan Past Roma, Reigniting the Serie A Title Chase

Match Recap

Milan secured a vital 1-0 victory over Roma at San Siro in the tenth round of the Italian Serie A, keeping the title race wide open. The Rossoneri took the lead through Streha Pavlovic in the 39th minute after a brilliant sequence started by Rafael Leao down the left flank.

Roma created several early openings and dominated possession for long spells, testing Milan’s defense with dangerous build‑ups and rapid transitions. A notable moment came when Maignan had to be alert to a dangerous shot, and Roma’s momentum continued into the later stages of the first half.

At halftime, Milan led 1-0, with Roma pressing to restore parity and Milan seeking a second goal on the break. The statistics from the opening period showed Roma with the edge in chances (11 attempts, 4 on target), while Milan had taken advantage of their one clear-cut opportunity.

In the second half, Milan weathered the Roma surge and continued to threaten on the counter. The visitors pushed forward with urgency, looking to crack Milan’s rearguard, but the decisive moment remained Pavlovic’s strike and a stubborn Milan defense that held firm as the clock wound down.

Roma finally found a lifeline in the 82nd minute when they earned a penalty after a handball. Paulo Dybala’s spot kick was saved by Maignan and rolled into a corner, and moments later Dybala left the field due to an injury sustained after the kick. Milan held on to seal a precious victory, extending their hold on the top end of the table.

With this result, Milan climbed to 21 points and moved third, level with Inter, while Roma also sat on 21 but slipped to third on goal difference. Napoli remained on top with 22 points, creating a tight three-way battle for the posh spots at the top of Serie A.

Key Moments

The opening goal in the 39th minute followed a patient buildup and a dazzling run by Leao, who found Pavlovic ready to finish from close range after a sharp pass into the box.

Rome’s early pressure persisted, but Milan’s unit defended resolutely after the break, frustrating Roma’s attempts to find an equalizer and ensuring the home team could celebrate a hard‑fought win.

The late penalty drama provided a glimmer of hope for Roma, but Maignan’s save preserved Milan’s lead and capped a performance that balanced defense with opportunistic finishing.

Final whistle: Milan 1, Roma 0. The result keeps Milan in the mix for the title while Roma must regroup as the season marches on.

Punchline 1: Milan didn’t just win, they executed a sniper-level finish—one precise strike, and Roma’s plans went wide right. Punchline 2: If defending were a sport, Roma would be undefeated in ‘almost’—great pressure, but no extra point to show for it.