The Albany Gazette - Milan stroll past Empoli to strengthen top four credentials

A sumptuous early strike from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Olivier Giroud's 31st minute penalty set third-placed Milan on the way to a win which was sealed by Chaka Traore with two minutes remaining.

Missing a host of players to injury and the Africa Cup of Nations, Milan took advantage of their closest rivals dropping points.

Stefano Pioli's team are six points ahead of fourth-placed Fiorentina who lost 1-0 at Sassuolo on Saturday, and a further point in front of Bologna in fifth following their draw at Genoa.

Milan have had a bumpy campaign riddled with injuries and questions over Pioli's future but Sunday's win was their fifth in six matches in all competitions.

"We went through a bit of a difficult period... We never listened to what other people were saying, we got down to hard work and that's why we won today," said Theo Hernandez, who was again deputising at centre-back.

France international Hernandez is a buccaneering left-back by trade but has been forced to move to the centre of defence by an injury crisis which has left Pioli without Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and Pierre Kalulu.

Empoli stay second-from-bottom after failing to win for the seventh straight match, Aurelio Andreazzoli's side missing seven first-team starters and no match for the rampant away side.

"I think we've put the bad spell behind us," said Pioli.

"It's in the difficult moments that you learn if people have given up on you, and that wasn't the case here. When things don't go well we stay together and we give each other a hand."

Milan trail league leaders and city rivals Inter Milan by nine points and are four behind second-placed Juventus, who play Salernitana later on Sunday.

However the way they performed with so many players out of action should encourage Pioli, who could also thank inconsistent star winger Rafael Leao for Loftus-Cheek's fine opener.

Leao went on a characteristic burst down the left flank before rolling across a perfect pass for his English teammate, who expertly guided home his second Serie A goal in the 11th minute.

Giroud then netted his first league goal in nearly two months when Youssef Maleh was judged to have handled Loftus-Cheek's overhead kick.

Empoli should have pulled one back in the 71st minute when Francesco Caputo's close range finish was well blocked by Hernandez.

But days after netting in the 4-1 Italian Cup win over Cagliari, 19-year-old Traore opened his league account by finishing off a lightning counter-attack and sealing a fine team display.

(D.Sanchez--TAG)