Milan beat furious eight-man Lazio to consolidate 3rd place

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 2 - AC Milan beat Lazio 1-0 in Rome to consolidate third place in Serie A while the home side's chairman Claudio Lotito said the top flight's referee system needs overhauling after several controversial decisions saw his side finish the game in eight men.
    Switzerland forward Noah Okafor fired home the winning goal in the closing stages of regulation time to give Milan 56 points from 27 games ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures.
    They trail runaway leaders Inter, who have played one match less, by 13 points, but have moved 10 points ahead of fifth-placed Atalanta.
    A top-four finish, which would secure a place in next season's Champions League, is a key target for the seven-time European champions.
    Lazio had to play almost the whole of the second half a man down after defender Luca Pellegrini got a second yellow card for hauling back Milan's Christian Pulisic after trying to let the ball go out of play with one of his team mates down following a knock to the head.
    The hosts, who had a strong shout for a penalty denied in the first half, were furious at the decision and the match turned bad tempered.
    In stoppage time, Lazio defender Adam Marusic was given a straight red card for dissent and midfielder Matteo Guendouzi was also sent off for his reaction to a foul.
    "When the game takes on these characteristics, external bodies should intervene," said Lotito, who is also unhappy about the way other matches had been officiated.
    "The system lacks reliability and so it is necessary to resort to third-party institutions that put an end to a unpleasant situation.
    "There's a limit beyond which you must not go and today all the limits were breached".
    Lazio, who take a 1-0 advantage to the return leg of their Champions League tie with Bayern Munich on Tuesday, are 10th with 40 points. (ANSA).