Soccer Football - Serie A - Frosinone v AC Milan - Stadio Benito Stirpe, Frosinone, Italy - February 3, 2024 AC Milan players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
FROSINONE, Italy (Reuters) - A late goal by striker Luka Jovic rescued a 3-2 win for AC Milan at Frosinone on Saturday, helping Stefano Pioli's side to keep in touching distance of Serie A's top two sides Inter Milan and Juventus.
Milan, third in the standings on 49 points, trail leaders Inter by five and second-placed Juventus by four before the top two meet at the San Siro on Sunday, a clash that will still leave Inter with a game in hand.
"In the new year we are doing many good things despite knowing that we can do better," Pioli told a press conference.
"It is now useless to think about the past, we are rediscovering continuity and we want to carry it forward."
Milan remained unbeaten in 2024, having won four games and drawn one.
Olivier Giroud, Matteo Gabbia and Jovic were all on target for the visitors, while Matias Soule and Luca Mazzitelli scored for Frosinone either side of halftime.
Giroud nodded home a cross from Rafael Leao to give Milan the lead in the 17th minute, but it took only seven minutes for the hosts to level from the penalty spot through midfielder Soule after a penalty was awarded for handball by Leao.
The 20-year-old Soule became the first player to score 10 goals for Frosinone in a single Serie A season.
Frosinone captain Mazzitelli surprised the local crowd as he put the hosts in front with a low shot inside the far post in the 65th minute.
But their hopes of beating Milan for the first time in the Italian top flight were cut short when defender Matteo Gabbia equalised with a header.
Substitute Jovic sealed the win for Milan nine minutes from time, firing in a loose ball in the box, one minute after coming on for Christian Pulisic.
Milan host champions Napoli on Feb. 11 before facing Stade Rennais in the Europa League.
Frosinone, who already scored more goals this season (31) than in the whole of their previous Serie A campaign (29 goals in 2018-19), are 14th on 23 points.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk,; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ed Osmond)
