Pato brace sends Milan top of Serie A

A brace from Brazilian forward Pato sent AC Milan top of Serie A for the first time this season following a 3-1 victory over Chievo at the San Siro on Saturday.

Milan are a point clear of previous leaders Lazio, although the Romans can regain the lead on Sunday.

Pato took his tally to four goals in four league games before a Zlatan Ibrahimovic own goal gave Chievo hope.

But Robinho scored his first goal for the Italians to secure the victory in injury time.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri was frustrated that his team had needed such a late goal to finish the game.

“We could have been more dangerous, we had several chances but we messed up the final ball and we gave away too many chances,” he told Sky Sport.

“For the moment we’re top and that’s always important but we should have been more comfortable at the end.

“In the last few minutes of the first half we could have killed the game but in the second we were a bit too relaxed and tried to just contain them without threatening ourselves.”

Milan opened the scoring with their first clear cut chance on 18 minutes.

Luca Antonini burst forward and fed Ibrahimovic down the left, the big Swede’s first time cross sailing over Chievo’s back-tracking defence where Pato caught it sumptuously on the volley, sending the ball back across Stefano Sorrentino and inside the far post.

Chievo had a chance to hit back on 28 minutes but Frenchman Kevin Constant didn’t get hold of his left-foot shot, allowing Christian Abbiati to parry and then Constant’s right foot follow-up was no better, allowing the goalkeeper to push the ball around the post for a corner.

As often happens when a little team plays a big one, Chievo were made to pay two minutes later.

It was the same combination that made the first as Ibrahimovic got up from the turf to take a quick free-kick and play Pato in behind Chievo’s napping rearguard, the Brazilian forward smashing home a fierce shot into the top far corner.

The two-goal cushion allowed Milan to sit back and hit Chievo on the counter-attack and they could have doubled their lead by the break.

First Ibrahimovic chipped weakly into Sorrentino’s grateful arms when well placed and then Pato ran from the halfway line and cut inside from the left but couldn’t beat the goalkeeper.

Milan lost centre-back Thiago Silva to an ankle injury early in the second half and that’s a worry for Allegri ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.

“We hope we won’t miss it but we’ve got (Daniele) Bonera who’s ready to play,” he said.

“He’s got a sprained ankle which our doctors will evaluate. But our squad is certainly ready to play an important game such as Tuesday’s against Real Madrid.”

Milan were comfortable and midway through the second period Allegri replaced Pato with Robinho, but no sooner had he done that, Chievo were back in the game.

An inswinging corner from the right was flicked on by Sergio Pellissier and came off Ibrahimovic to deceive Abbiati and sneak inside the far post on 70 minutes.

Chievo were buoyed and another Frenchman Cyril Thereau turned on the edge of the box and laid the ball off for former Manchester City winger Gelson Fernandes, a Swiss international of Cape Verde descent, who should have done much better than drag his shot wide.

Ronaldinho could have made the points safe for Milan but his half-volley from Ibrahimovic’s knock-down was too close to Sorrentino, who parried.

But in injury time the Brazilian released his compatriot Robinho to round Sorrentino and slot into the empty net.