AC Milan beat Genoa 2-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, with two goals inside the opening 20 minutes settling a hard-fought Serie A contest before a late Genoa rally made for a nervous finish.

The visitors made a flying start. Alphadjo Cisse opened the scoring in the 13th minute, sweeping home a cut-back from Adrien Rabiot after Christian Pulisic had won the ball back with a high press. It was the teenager's eighth goal of the season in all competitions, and a fine way to mark his first senior Italy call-up.

Six minutes later Milan doubled their lead. Goncalo Ramos intercepted a poor pass out of the Genoa defence and squared for Pulisic, who finished calmly from inside the penalty area. It was the American's fourth Serie A goal of the season and his third in his last three league starts.

Genoa, who had won their previous three matches, refused to fold. Mikael Egill Ellertsson pulled one back in the 88th minute with a powerful long-range strike, and Kingsley Ehizibue headed wide deep into injury time as the hosts pushed for an equaliser that never came.

The win was Milan's fourth in five league matches and lifted Ruben Amorim's side into fourth place on 24 points from 11 games, five behind leaders Lazio, as Serie A pauses for the international break. Amorim had made five changes from Thursday's defeat to Ferencvaros, and his side's early intensity proved the difference. Full match details are available from TNT Sports.