September 14, (THEWILL) — AC Milan claimed a narrow victory over Bologna at San Siro, with Luka Modric’s solitary strike proving decisive in a 1-0 triumph.
The Croatian midfielder, who celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this week, entered the record books by becoming the oldest player to score from midfield in Serie A history.
Bologna believed they had opened the scoring through Santiago Castro’s composed finish in the 15th minute, but the celebrations were brief after the assistant referee raised the offside flag.
Milan’s attacking threat became evident before the interval, with both Pervis Estupinan and Santiago Gimenez striking the woodwork in separate incidents.
The breakthrough arrived just past the hour mark when Modric demonstrated his enduring class.
The former Ballon d’Or recipient connected perfectly with Alexis Saelemaekers’ cross, sweeping the ball home with a first-time effort that left the Bologna goalkeeper with no chance.
Further opportunities presented themselves for the home side, with Samuele Ricci and Jimenez both hitting the post in the second period.
Milan appeared to have been awarded a penalty in the closing stages, but the decision was reversed following consultation with the video assistant referee.
Massimiliano Allegri’s team successfully protected their slender advantage to record their second victory of the current campaign.
The result maintains Milan’s positive momentum whilst Bologna departed empty-handed despite their spirited performance at the iconic stadium.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
