Stefano Pioli’s side were dealt an early blow when Rafael Leao was forced off injured after being thwarted by Ivan Provedel following a surging run into the box - a real scare ahead of their Champions League semi-final with rivals Inter in midweek.
The Portugal international was replaced by Alexis Saelemaekers, and the Rossoneri faithful became noticeably quieter following their star player’s withdrawal.
They looked up for the fight though, and it was the combative Ismael Bennacer who broke the deadlock after Lazio were punished for trying to play out from the back. The hosts’ intense press earned them possession in the final third, allowing the Algerian to score his first Serie A home goal since netting against Bologna back in July 2020.
Theo Hernandez then doubled the Rossoneri’s lead with a superb solo effort, running nearly the full length of the pitch and smashing a stunning long-range strike past Provedel just shy of the half-hour mark.
In contrast, Lazio were uncharacteristically flat and failed to register a shot on target before the break.
Milan were still dominant after the break and Bennacer was looking for his second of the match with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box, but he ultimately failed to trouble Provedel.
Pioli’s side were in cruise control and Malick Thiaw should have added a third with a free header from Sandro Tonali’s corner which sailed over the bar. Ante Rebic had the ball in the back of the net again for the hosts with a composed finish, but the strike was ruled out for offside in the closing stages.
It was a desperately disappointing afternoon for Maurizio Sarri’s side, who failed to register a single shot on target and have now lost three of their last four Serie A games.
They remain second but could be overtaken by Juventus if Massimiliano Allegri’s side win away at Atalanta on Sunday. Meanwhile, this was a morale-boosting victory for the Rossoneri ahead of the first leg of their cross-city clash against Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ismael Bennacer (AC Milan)
