Both teams took some time to find any rhythm, particularly as the visitors, without manager José Mourinho due to a touchline ban, defended deep and showed little interest in getting forward. That put the emphasis on Milan to do all the running, but their final ball was poor as Olivier Giroud cast an isolated figure upfront. The first shot on target finally came just before the half-hour mark, when Brahim Díaz saw a 20-yard strike tipped over the bar. Goalkeeper Rui Patrício was powerless to stop the hosts scoring from the resulting corner though, met by Pierre Kalulu, who netted with a thumping header.
That finally forced Roma out of their shell, with Nicola Zalewski curling wide from distance before the break. But that was pretty much as good as it got from a side who struggled to provide any kind of service for the likes of Tammy Abraham in attack, with the former Chelsea man often forced to drift wide and drop deep to pick up possession. Smelling blood, Milan tried to force home their advantage, only for Theo Hernández and Giroud to see shots saved after HT. They finally put the game to bed deep into the second half when substitute Tommaso Pobega finished off a rapid counter-attack by firing into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Roma pulled one back in the 87th minute as Roger Ibañez found the back of the net with a bullet header, and it looked like nothing more than a consolation until Abraham shocked the home crowd by bundling home the rebound after Nemanja Matić had seen his initial effort saved. The result dealt a blow to Milan who are now seven points behind league leaders Napoli, whilst salvaging a late point could prove vital to Roma's pursuit of the top-four.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Sandro Tonali (AC Milan)