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Giroud sent off as Milan blow two-goal lead / Photo: Carlo Hermann - AFP
Giroud sent off as Milan blow two-goal lead
AC Milan let slip a two-goal lead at Lecce on Saturday but sighed in collective relief as a last-gasp wonder goal for the hosts was disallowed in a 2-2 draw in Serie A.
Even worse for Milan was the loss off Rafael Leao to injury and the sending off of goalscorer Olivier Giroud.
Giroud opened the scoring on 28 minutes before Tijjani Reijnders doubled the lead, just four days after Milan's crucial Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Down in 14th place in Serie A, Lecce looked buried but came out in the second half with great intent, pulling a goal back at a corner through Nicola Sansone on 66 minutes while Zambia's Lameck Banda levelled not long after.
In a dramatic late incident Roberto Piccoli controlled a long-distance clearance from his 'keeper, turned and shot past Mike Maignan to send the Lecce fans into raptures.
The goal was however disallowed because Piccoli had trodden on a rival's foot before turning to shoot.
Milan may have felt relief, but with Giroud's two bookings seeing him sent off for dissent and a four-match Serie A run without a win, their third place in Italy is under threat Sunday from champions Napoli.
V.Kranz--BlnAP
