Díaz solo stunner helps AC Milan beat Juventus 2-0

AC Milan's Brahim Diaz, right, celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Juventus at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

MILAN (AP) — A packed San Siro erupted in celebration after Brahim Díaz’s stunning solo goal he launched from his own half helped AC Milan beat Juventus 2-0 in Serie A on Saturday.

Díaz made his mark nine minutes after the break when he intercepted a pass and raced forward, beating a number of players before firing powerfully past Wojciech Szczęsny in the Juventus goal.

As the crowd cheers and applauded, Díaz whipped off his shirt and was hoisted onto the shoulders of teammate Rafael Leão.

“Since I was a young kid, I always wanted to do that kind of celebration. Today I did it,” Díaz said with a laugh. “Obviously I shouldn’t do it again because you get a yellow card. Last year, I wanted to do it against Spezia but Davide Calabria stopped me.”

Fikayo Tomori gave Milan the lead on the stroke of halftime with only his second league goal for the club. His first was also against Juventus.

Milan moved level on points at the top of the table with Atalanta and Napoli, which both play on Sunday. Juventus slipped to eighth after Inter Milan beat Sassuolo 2-1.

AC Milan's players celebrate at the end of the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Juventus at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Juventus came into the match on the back of winning two straight for the first time this season, including its first Champions League points, but was without the influential Ángel Di María, who was suspended.

“We’re going through a long series of ups and downs, I thought that we had come out of a negative period,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “Tonight we relapsed.”

Milan was struggling with injuries and reeling from a 3-0 loss at Chelsea, but did have Theo Hernández back at left back.

The France international had a hand in Milan’s controversial opening goal. He appeared to barge over Juventus midfielder Juan Cuadrado but the referee waved play on and Milan went on to win a corner.

Hernández whipped it in from the left and the ball came out to Olivier Giroud, but his shot was blocked by his own teammate Tomori, who made amends by turning and firing it into the net from close range.

That was Milan’s first shot on target, although Leão hit both posts.

Leão almost doubled Milan’s lead early in the second half but his effort flew narrowly over the bar.

Milan did get a second shortly after when Díaz intercepted a wayward pass from Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović and set off on his remarkable run.

DZEKO DOUBLE

Edin Džeko scored twice, including his 100th Serie A goal, to help Inter get back to winning ways.

Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko, center, celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Sassuolo and Inter Milan at the Mapei stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Inter lost four of its last six Serie A matches, including two straight, but beat Barcelona in the Champions League midweek.

Džeko brought up his Serie A century just before halftime and doubled his tally in the 75th, 15 minutes after Davide Frattesi’s equalizer for Sassuolo.

Also, Dejan Stanković earned a point on his debut as coach of last-placed Sampdoria as his side drew at Bologna 1-1.