Brescia 0 : 1 AC Milan - Robinho sends Milan closer to title

Posted Saturday, April 23, 2011 by PA

Robinho broke Brescia's hearts with a goal which took AC Milan closer to the Serie A title and sent their hosts closer to Serie B at the Stadio Rigamonti.

The Brazilian struck in the 82nd minute, just after the home side had hit the woodwork and started to put the Rossoneri under pressure, to clinch victory and take Milan eight points clear of Inter Milan with four games of the season remaining.

Brescia end the weekend five points adrift of safety with a crucial trip to Sampdoria to come next weekend.

Milan lost Gennaro Gattuso to an injury in the warm-up and his place was taken by Matthieu Flamini, who had the first chance of the game in the third minute, but shot into the side-netting from Antonio Cassano's pass.

Cassano created the next chance for Milan in the ninth minute with Robinho this time volleying over the crossbar from 18 yards.

Clarence Seedorf shot over the bar as Milan continued to attack in the first half.

The lively Cassano missed their next chance in the 17th minute, shooting wide of the post from 15 yards while under pressure from Zambelli.

Brescia's first chance fell to Eder 10 minutes before the interval, but he shot straight at Christian Abbiati.

Cassano then missed the best chance of the first 45 minutes when he placed a free header wide of the post from eight yards in the 41st minute.

Brescia started better in the second half and Eder shot over the crossbar early on after struggling to free the ball from between his feet.

Another header from Cassano missed the target at the other end, but it was the home team's turn to attack with Andrea Caracciolo's flick header going too close to Abbiati.

Alessandro Diamanti's free-kick from wide right hit the crossbar with Abbiati beaten in the 81st minute, and Milan raced up to the other end of the pitch to break Brescia's hearts almost immediately.

Cassano broke into the Brescia half and squared the ball to the unmarked Robinho, who kept his composure to slide his shot past Michele Arcari for a goal which could be worth the Scudetto.

Diamanti curled a shot towards the far post in the 89th minute, but Abbiati was not going to be beaten as he pushed the ball wide to save his side's victory and leave Brescia in serious danger at the bottom of Serie A.