Milan finishes with 9 in Empoli draw

 Mattia Destro and Milan were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Empoli.

Mattia Destro's first goal for AC Milan was not enough as it had goalkeeper Diego Lopez sent off and finished with nine men after running out of substitutions in a 1-1 Serie A draw at home to Empoli yesterday.

Milan left the field to the familiar sound of jeers from a sparse San Siro crowd of 27,000 after being outplayed by its promoted opponent. It has taken only five points in seven Serie A games since the Christmas break.

Empoli did the early running and Mario Rui nearly scored a stunning opener when he spotted Lopez off his line and just missed the target with a dipping effort from the halfway line.

However, Milan went ahead with its first shot on target when Destro turned in Giacomo Bonaventura's low cross from close range, his first goal since his move from AS Roma.

Empoli deservedly equalized in the 69th when Massimo Maccarone escaped the attentions of two defenders and scored with a powerful downward header from Elseid Hysaj's cross.

Former Real Madrid 'keeper Lopez was dismissed with six minutes left as he handled outside the area. Destro was substituted to make way for substitute goalie Christian Abbiati.

Milan, which had lost defender Alex to injury in the 7th, was in the wars again when Gabriel Paletta pulled up clutching his hamstring and went off, leaving it to finish with nine men after using its three substitutions.

On Saturday, Napoli's Serie A title ambitions nosedived with a 1-3 defeat at Palermo.

Earlier, Senegal striker Khouma Babacar scored twice as Fiorentina beat Sassuolo 3-1 for a sixth away win of the season.

Fiorentina occupies fourth position on 38 points, four adrift of third-placed Napoli.

Leader Juventus (53 points) was at Cesena yesterday when second-placed AS Roma (46) was hosting rock-bottom Parma.

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