Bottom side Benevento stun Milan as Roma win

Bottom team Benevento held on to their forlorn hope of avoiding relegation from Italy's top flight after a Pietro Iemmello goal gave them a shock 1-0 win at former European Cup winner AC Milan in their Serie A clash Saturday. Benevento, who have 17 points from 34 games, will only be able to prolong their fight for survival if 18th-placed Crotone, on 28 points from 33 matches, fail to win at Udinese Sunday. Milan stayed sixth on 54 points from 34 games and are in danger of missing out on European competition next season, with seventh-placed Atalanta two points behind them before their home game against Torino also Sunday.

AC Milan have spent more this season than Benevento have in their entire history.

FT: AC Milan 0-1 Benevento pic.twitter.com/wQ0NbZRGfk— bet365 (@bet365) April 21, 2018

Iemmello netted a 29th-minute winner with a calm finish after a defence-splitting pass by Nicolas Viola, with match official Maurizio Mariani allowing the goal to stand after brief offside consultation with the video assistant referee. Benevento had substitute Cheick Diabate sent off in the 80th minute when he received a second yellow card for elbowing Leonardo Bonucci but the visitor fully deserved their win at the San Siro. Their goalkeeper Christian Puggioni pulled off a pair of superb saves to deny Patrick Cutrone and Giacomo Bonaventura. Franck Yannick Kessie hit the underside of the bar for Milan, who looked flat and bereft of ideas most of the match.

Benevento away results in Serie A 17/18: L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L D Win against Milan

— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) April 21, 2018

The lively Viola and Daniel Cataldi came close at the other end as Benevento looked dangerous on the break, while Milan's final pass kept going astray. Earlier Saturday, AS Roma stayed on course for a top-four finish with a clinical 3-0 win at struggling SPAL thanks to goals from Radja Nainggolan and Patrick Shick following a Francesco Vicari own goal. Sassuolo moved well clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 home win over Fiorentina thanks to a first-half goal by Matteo Politano after the visitor had Bryan Dabo sent off for two bookable offences.

This match for Roma was about as ideal as you could ask for: Dzeko, Kolarov, Florenzi, and De Rossi all rested. A comfortable result. A great performance. Job well done.

— John Solano (@Solano_56) April 21, 2018

RESULTSSPAL 0 AS Roma 3 (Vicari 33-og, Nainggolan 52, Schick 60)Sassuolo 1 (Politano 41) Fiorentina 0Milan 0 Benevento 1 (Iemmello 29)  SUNDAY'S MATCHESCagliari v Bologna, Atalanta v Torino, Chievo v Inter, Lazio v Sampdoria, Udinese v Crotone and Juventus v Napoli POINTS TABLETeams P W D L GD PtsJuventus 33 27 4 2 59 85Napoli 33 25 6 2 47 81Roma 34 20 7 7 28 67Lazio 33 19 7 7 36 64Inter 33 17 12 4 32 63Milan 34 15 9 10 6 54