AC Milan pay penalty as Radja Nainggolan hands Roma victory

Radja Nainggolan punished AC Milan for missing a first-half penalty by firing Roma to a 1-0 Serie A victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Rossoneri had an opportunity to forge ahead when Gianluca Lapadula was fouled in the hosts' box, but M'Baye Niang could not find the back of the net from 12 yards.

With both Scudetto-chasing sides failing to take control of this shoot-out for outright control of second place, the inspirational Nainggolan stepped up to the plate with a winning goal from distance.

Roma are now four points behind league leaders Juventus, who they visit on Saturday evening.

Inside two minutes Nainggolan -- a goal scorer in last week's Rome derby -- surged forward to set up Edin Dzeko for a powerful low drive that sent Gianluigi Donnarumma sprawling.

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Milan bit back in the 17th minute, when a swift counter-attack ended with Suso laying on a soft pass for Lapadula, who was only denied because the quick-thinking Wojciech Szczesny went low.

Lapadula was back before the half-hour mark, again released by Suso, and this time he got the better of Szczesny as the Polish goalkeeper conceded a penalty with his late challenge.

Niang, however, could not put the spot-kick away. It was the Frenchman's fourth missed penalty in seven attempts.

There was little to inspire following the restart, at least until the 62nd minute, when Nainggolan fired Roma ahead with a goal out of nothing.

Charging towards the D, the Belgian curled the ball left-footed beyond the 17-year-old Donnarumma.