Daily Times

SALERNO: Inter Milan’s top four hopes took a major blow when Salernitana held them to a 1-1 draw on Friday after Antonio Candreva scored a 90th-minute equaliser against his former club while team mate Guillermo Ochoa made a string of exceptional saves. Inter moved level with AC Milan on 51 points but remain fourth with their arch rivals while fifth-placed AS Roma are a point behind. Salernitana are 15th with 29 points. Simone Inzaghi’s Inter have now gone six games without a win in all competitions and the Italian manager said it was difficult for him to speak after the draw. Inter went ahead in the sixth minute when a flowing passing move ended with Romelu Lukaku heading the ball into the path of wing back Robin Gosens, who fired home his first goal since November. Inter could have scored many more but Salernitana’s 37-year-old Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa made a number of reflex saves to deny Stefan de Vrij, Lautaro Martinez and Lukaku twice to keep the home side in the game. At the other end, Senegal forward Boulaye Dia nearly converted Candreva’s cross for an equaliser but his effort cannoned off the bar. Candreva, 36, who made over 150 appearances for Inter, had the last laugh, however, levelling for Salernitana at the death when his intended cross sailed into the top corner over the arms of goalkeeper Andre Onana. Inter next play away at Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Uninspired AC Milan held to goalless draw by Empoli: AC Milan were well below par on Friday as they were held to a goalless stalemate by Empoli in Serie A, leaving manager Stefano Pioli with plenty of work to do ahead of Wednesday’s opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Napoli. Milan are now third in Serie A with 52 points, 22 points behind runaway leaders Napoli. They trail second-placed Lazio, who face Juventus on Saturday, by three points. Milan looked a shadow of the team that had thrashed Napoli 4-0 just five days ago as they kept being thwarted by Empoli’s dogged defence. An early chance for Milan’s Ante Rebic was foiled by Empoli goalkeeper Samuele Perisan, who also saved the rebound attempt from Theo Hernandez. Milan were dominant in the first half but Empoli defended well to keep the score goalless at the break. Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao were sent on 20 minutes before the end of the second half to try to break the deadlock for Milan without success. Giroud thought he had headed Milan to victory just before the final whistle but a VAR check showed that the ball had touched his hand on the way in, resulting in loud boos from the home crowd. Empoli, who are 14th with 32 points, are 13 points above the relegation zone.