Giampaolo Pazzini scored a brace as AC Milan defeated Lazio 3-0 in their Serie A clash at the San Siro on Saturday night.
Kevin-Prince Boateng scored the other goal in a match where Lazio played with a man less for over 70 minutes following the sending off of Antonio Candreva.
The hosts came close to taking the lead as early as the fourth minute when Bruno Pereirinha knocked the ball into the path of Stephan El Shaarawy, but his shot was blocked by Federico Marchetti at the near post.
Moments later El Shaarawy poked the ball towards Pazzini on the right but this time his effort was cleared off the line by a defender.
El Shaarawy continued to cause problems for the away side and in the 11th minute he sent his header over the crossbar after meeting a cross from Pazzini at the near post.
Three minutes later Lazio were reduced to ten men as Candreva was shown a straight red card for a foul on El Shaarawy just outside of the penalty area.
Milan could not capitalise from the resulting freekick as Riccardo Montolivo fired his low shot wide after he was set up by Boateng.
However, the hosts did make their numerical advantage count in the 40th minute with Pazzini nudging the ball in from close range after Marchetti had failed to hold on to a low shot from Ignazio Abate.
The lead was doubled just four minutes later as Pazzini forced a good save from Marchetti with a powerful header, but this time Boateng was on hand to bury the rebound.
Lazio came close to pulling one goal back in the 56th minute but Christian Abbiati shuffled to his right to palm a curling freekick from Hernanes over the crossbar.
The Rossoneri then extended their lead four minutes later with Pazzini collecting a poor clearance outside the penalty area before beating Marchetti with a powerful low shot.
Lazio still continued to push forward and came close to reducing the deficit again in the 61st minute when Alvaro Gonzalez found Sergio Floccari inside the box, but he sent his header wide of the upright.
Massimiliano Allegri?s men then came close to adding a fourth from a quick break which saw El Shaarawy through on the left, only for the speedster to curl his shot wide of the far post.
Then in the 86th minute substitute M?Baye Niang came even closer to getting his name on the score sheet, but he rattled the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.
Another substitute, Louis Saha, had an opportunity to score a late consolation for Lazio in the final minute of regulation time, but his low freekick was well-held by Abbiati as Milan secured a comfortable win.
