MILAN: Noah Okafor struck late to fire AC Milan to a 1-0 win at Lazio on Friday in a fiery Serie A match which finished with the livid hosts down to eight men.
Switzerland forward Okafor forced home his fifth league goal of the season with two minutes remaining, pushing Milan up to 56 points in third place and further strengthening his team's position in Italy's Champions League spots.
Stefano Pioli's Milan are still 13 points behind league leaders Inter Milan, who host Genoa on Monday, but are just one behind second-placed Juventus.
Juve are at Napoli in Sunday night's big game and have Milan breathing down their necks after a poor recent run of form.
Okafor's strike was the most exciting moment of football in a niggly game in which Lazio had two players sent off in stoppage time.
Luca Pellegrini was dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 57th minute after yanking back Christian Pulisic, sparking a pushing match between both sets of players.
And Adam Marusic was given a straight red card for dissent in the fourth minute of added time before Matteo Guendouzi was also sent off for reacting to being fouled.
Lazio drop down to ninth, level on 40 points with Napoli, after a defeat which was dreadful preparation for Tuesday's return leg with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16.
Maurizio Sarri's side lead Bayern by a single goal after winning the first leg in Rome 1-0 last month. -AFP
