Ismail Benesar’s first-half goal gave AC Milan a slender lead over Napoli in the first leg of their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final.
The Algerian midfielder volleyed home from the edge of the area after Brahm Diaz made a brilliant break on the halfway line.
Napoli sent on Andre-Frank Zembo-Anguissa in the second half and were held up well by a composed Milan.
Milan also came close to a second goal when Simon Kajer’s header bounced off the bottom of the bar.
Napoli, in the last eight of the Champions League for the first time, cruised straight out of the net, showing a belief that is evident in their 16 points at the top of Serie A.
Georgia winger Khoicha Quartskelia had the best chance of the game in the opening minute when a poor clearance fell to his feet, but his effort from eight yards was blocked on the line.
Napoli, top scorers in the competition this season, continued to push forward, with former Fulham midfielder Anguissa and Piotr Zielinski hitting the bar.
Milan, who won 4-0 at Napoli 10 days ago in Serie A, weathered the storm and then added to the game when Portugal winger Rafael Luo’s shot from inside his own half was inches from the far post. Tried width.
The 40th-minute winner was sparked by former Manchester City youth product Diaz, who showed great skill in passing the ball and turning to take Napoli’s two midfielders out of the game.
Beneser, who played once in two years for Arsenal, then met Liao’s cut-back with a left-footed finish, which was helped into the roof of the net by the outstretched foot of visiting goalkeeper Alex Merritt.
Milan’s Danish defender Kajer was extremely unlucky to see his powerful first-half stoppage-time header bounce a yard off the line after hitting the bar.
The second half was poor, with chances at a premium, but Angwesa picked up two yellow cards in less than four minutes.
The first was to pull down Theo Hernandez as the Frenchman looked to beat Napoli on the counter, before Anguissa once again caught the Milan left-back with a high boot in the 74th minute.
Napoli will also be without defender Kim Min-jae for the second leg, next Tuesday, after he was booked for dissent in a disappointing second half.
Despite being men down, Napoli almost got a late equalizer but Mike Magnan did brilliantly to keep Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s effort behind for a corner.
“It’s very important to get a positive result,” Milan forward Diaz, who was named man of the match, told JEE News.
“It was great not to concede the goal. We have to play to win next week.”
