AC Milan had their backs to the wall for large chunks of their Champions League quarter-final against Napoli but will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg thanks to Ismael Bennacer’s goal.
The visitors, who finished with ten men after having Frank Anguissa sent off in the second half, missed a catalogue of chances as they dominated for long periods at the San Siro but were ultimately left frustrated.
It took less than 60 seconds for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to have the first opening, although his shot was cleared off the line, while Anguissa and Piotr Zielinski were denied by home goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
At the other end, Stefano Pioli’s side failed to register a shot until the 26th minute, when Rafael Leao burst from his own half and had held off two defenders before ultimately sliding wide of the far post.
Milan took the lead with their next effort though, as Ismael Bennacer hammered home from inside the box just moments before half-time, while Simon Kjaer then rattled the bar with a bullet header in first-half injury-time.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with Napoli camped in their opponents’ half, only for Maignan to save from Eljif Elmas and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
The main talking point after the break though was a card-happy referee who seemed to issue bookings at every opportunity. That included a pair of yellows for Anguissa, coming within four minutes of each other, which means he will sit out the second leg, as will defender Kim Min-Jae.