Leao scores twice as Milan maintain perfect start

MILAN (Reuters) - Forward Rafael Leao scored twice as AC Milan overcame a stubborn Spezia 3-0 on Sunday to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.

Theo Hernandez was also on target as Milan, who have won all three games without conceding a goal, extended their unbeaten run to 19 games in all competitions, their last defeat coming against Genoa in March.

Milan joined Atalanta on nine points while Inter Milan and Sassuolo have seven apiece. Spezia have three points after their 2-0 win at Udinese on Wednesday.

Milan were missing talismanic forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has tested positive for COVID-19, and needed 57 minutes to break down the Serie A debutantes.

Spezia nearly took a halftime lead when Daniele Verde's shot was saved near the top corner by Gianluigi Donnarumma but Milan were a changed side after Hakan Calhanoglu came on at the break.

The Turkish midfielder set up the first goal with a trademark free kick which flew across the Spezia area and was turned in by Leao at the far post.

Hernandez added the second in the 76th minute, winning possession in midfield before surging forward to score with an angled drive.

Two minutes later, Alexis Saelemaekers' cross was headed down by Franck Kessie and Leao added a third from close range to round off another convincing win for Stefano Pioli's side.

(Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Ed Osmond)