SOCCER: AC Milan close gap on city rivals Inter after 3-0 win at Bologna

BOLOGNA, Italy – Adrien Rabiot scored one goal and assisted another as AC Milan cruised to a convincing 3-0 Serie A victory over Bologna on Tuesday, keeping the pressure on city rivals Inter Milan at the top of the table.

The win moves second-placed Milan to 50 points from 23 games, five points behind leaders Inter. Bologna remain in 10th place with 30 points from the same number of matches.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Christopher Nkunku doubled the lead from the penalty spot six minutes before halftime after being fouled by Bologna goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia.

Rabiot capped off a dominant display with Milan’s third goal in the 48th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error to seal the victory.

"The game was very simple," Rabiot told DAZN. "At the beginning we couldn't keep the ball in front, then we gained confidence and we could have scored at any moment. We are satisfied with the result, but we could have done better and scored more in the second half."

Milan have lost just one of their 23 Serie A matches this season and never looked in danger in Bologna. The visitors dominated from the start, creating several strong chances before breaking the deadlock.

Loftus-Cheek came close to scoring early when he was one-on-one with Ravaglia, but his hesitation allowed the keeper to save. He made no mistake later when Bologna failed to clear Nkunku’s header; Loftus-Cheek side-footed the rebound into the net from 12 yards, with Rabiot providing the assist.

Clear Penalty

Milan earned a penalty when slick passing freed Nkunku in the box, and Ravaglia brought him down. Nkunku, who has been linked with a January transfer, calmly converted the spot-kick for his fifth goal in six Serie A games.

Bologna’s hopes for a second-half comeback were quickly extinguished. Three minutes after the restart, Rabiot capitalized on a poor throw by Juan Miranda and slotted the ball into the net, making it 3-0 and putting the game beyond doubt.

With the win, Milan continue their title chase, showing they are in peak form as the season enters its decisive stages.

-Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters