AC Milan beat Genoa 2-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, with first-half goals from Alphadjo Cisse and Christian Pulisic securing a win that moved the Rossoneri fourth in Serie A.

The game was effectively decided inside the first 20 minutes. Cisse opened the scoring in the 13th minute, sweeping home Adrien Rabiot's cut-back after Pulisic had won the ball back high up the pitch. It was the teenager's eighth goal of the season in all competitions, days after his first senior Italy call-up.

Pulisic doubled the lead six minutes later. Goncalo Ramos seized on a defensive error and squared for the American, who fired into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

Genoa fight back late

Genoa had started brightly, with Milutin Osmajic firing a low shot narrowly wide of the far post inside the first minute. But Milan's press did the damage, forcing the errors that led to both goals.

The hosts thought they had pulled one back on the half-hour mark, but Osmajic's header was ruled out for offside. Mikael Ellertsson finally beat Mike Maignan with a long-range strike in the 88th minute, set up by Tommaso Baldanzi, to set up a nervy finish.

Kingsley Ehizibue headed wide deep into injury time as Genoa pushed for an equaliser, but Milan held on. The second half had been a different story from the first, with Genoa building pressure and Koni De Winter heading off target in Milan's best chance after the break, but the visitors did enough to see the game out.

What the win means

The victory moved Milan to 24 points from 11 matches and into fourth place, behind leaders Lazio on 29 points, Inter on 28 and Roma on 27. It was also a response to a midweek Europa League defeat, with manager Ruben Amorim's side showing the energy of their high press in the opening stages before having to dig in late on.

Cisse is one of only three players born in 2006 or later in Europe's top five leagues to have scored eight or more goals in all competitions this season. Pulisic, who signed a contract extension with Milan until 2031 last month, was at the heart of both goals and continues to be one of the club's most important attacking players.

Milan now head into the international break in the top four, with the chance to regroup before the season resumes.