Teenage lightning: Locatelli leads AC Milan to win over Juve
MILAN (AP) - Teenage midfielder Manuel Locatelli scored a spectacular second-half goal as AC Milan marked a return to prominence with a 1-0 win over visiting Juventus in Serie A on Saturday.
Locatelli's powerful, rising shot from the right edge of the area bounced in off the underside of the crossbar, and stranded Gianluigi Buffon.
Locatelli, who is already being compared to Andrea Pirlo, has produced two shots on target in his short Serie A career and both have been goals. He's been given added responsibility since Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo went down with a long-term injury.
"I still don't believe it, scoring against the best goalkeeper in the world is incredible ... I'll probably shed some tears later when I see my family," Locatelli said.
Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura was in attendance but Locatelli wasn't expecting a callup soon.
"I've got to go step by step," he said. "I'm focused on the Under-19 European Championship for now."
Milan moved into second place, two points behind five-time defending champion Juventus, as the Rossoneri seek a return to the Champions League after a three-year absence.
Milan hadn't beaten Juventus since November 2012.
"Now we're going to start a new 'season,' because the expectations have been raised," Milan manager Vincenzo Montella said.
Roma, which hosts Palermo on Sunday, can draw level on points with Milan, which extended its unbeaten streak to six matches.
It was Juventus' second loss, having also been beaten at the San Siro by Inter Milan.
"This result isn't going to affect us," Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri said.
Having failed to finish better than seventh the past three seasons, Milan has been relying on a core of young players, highlighted by 18-year-old Locatelli and 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had another solid match.
In a fairly balanced first half, Buffon deflected wide an early effort from Suso, and a shot from Paulo Dybala was stopped by Donnarumma.
Dybala then exited with an apparent thigh problem after attempting to surprise Donnarumma from near midfield.
Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic was initially awarded a goal from a free kick but referee Nicola Rizzoli decided to annul the goal for offside after consulting with his assistants.
"If the linesman changed the decision, OK. If it was the goal-line official I don't think that's allowed in the rules," Allegri said. "Anyhow it's clear that it was a goal."
In the 84th, Donnarumma intercepted a cross headed for Pjanic and took a boot to the head from the Bosnia international.
Donnarumma was decisive again on the last kick of the match, leaping to swipe away a long-range effort from Sami Khedira.
Gonzalo Higuain, Juve's record signing from Napoli for 90 million euros ($100 million), had a quiet game.
SAMPDORIA 2, GENOA 1
Sampdoria ended a six-match winless streak in style in a derby.
Sampdoria moved up to 13th place while Genoa remained ninth.
Luis Muriel put Sampdoria ahead 12 minutes in after being set up by Fabio Quagliarella at the edge of the box.
Luca Rigoni equalized midway through the first half by redirecting a low cross from Edenilson.
After both sides hit the crossbar, Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin blocked a penalty from Fabio Quagliarella in first-half added time.
It was Perin's sixth save in 24 penalties he has faced in Serie A, an impressive save rate of 25 percent.
Shortly after the break, Sampdoria reclaimed the lead with an own goal from Armando Izzo. Perin punched away a cross from Muriel but the ball bounced in off of Izzo, as Quagliarella applied pressure by the near post.