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.
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