Donnarumma marks 18th birthday by helping AC Milan win 1-0

Posted February 26, 2017 6:00 am

By DANIELLA MATAR

Gianluigi Donnarumma marked his 18th birthday by keeping a clean sheet as AC Milan controversially won 1-0 at Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday.

The goalkeeper only turned 18 on Saturday but the match at the Mapei Stadium was his 60th for Milan, which is expected to tie him to a long-term contract as soon as possible.

Considered the heir to Italy's longtime goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon, Donnarumma has already made two appearances for the Azzurri - the youngest player to do so in modern times.

Carlos Bacca scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute with a penalty that Sassuolo thought should have been ruled out after the Colombia forward touched the ball with both feet as he slipped when taking the spot kick.

The penalty had been given after Alberto Aquilani tripped Andrea Bertolacci.

Sassuolo had earlier been given an equally soft penalty but Domenico Berardi fired his spot kick wide.

The home side felt it should have had two other penalties but their protests were waved away by referee Gianpaolo Calvarese, who also ruled out a Bacca header for offside.

Donnarumma had little to do but pulled off a good save to keep out Berardi's deflected effort in the 73rd.

Milan moved a point behind Inter Milan, which can move to within three points of the Champions League spots with a win over second-placed Roma later.

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OTHER MATCHES

Lazio is right back in the fight for a Champions League spot after beating Udinese 1-0 to move to within four points of third-placed Napoli, which lost to Atalanta on Saturday.

Ciro Immobile scored from the spot in the 72nd after Lazio was awarded a dubious penalty for an apparent handball by Ali Adnan.

Palermo inched a point closer to safety with a 1-1 draw against Sampdoria, although it is still seven points below 18th-placed Empoli.

It was the only side in the relegation zone to win as Pescara lost 2-0 at Chievo Verona, while Cagliari won 2-1 at Crotone.

Elsewhere, Olivier Ntcham's stoppage-time goal handed Genoa a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bologna.

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 23, 2016 file photo, AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saves a penalty during the Italian Super Cup soccer match between Juventus and AC Milan, at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar. When Donnarumma made his debut on Oct. 25, 2015, few would have known who he was. Nearly 60 club matches and two Italy appearances later, the teenager is a household name. (AP Photo/Alexandra Panagiotidou) The Associated Press

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