Carlos Bacca and Luiz Adriano fired Milan to their first victory of the season against Empoli at the San Siro.
Ricardo Saponara returned to haunt his former employers as he struck an equaliser minutes after Bacca had opened his Milan account, but Empoli could not respond to Luiz Adriano's header midway through the second-half.
Both sides trading blows
It was a sterile opening to proceedings, with neither side offering much penetration in the final third. Suso had blasted over from long range before Ricardo Saponara, once of Milan, found space on the edge of the area but was quickly snuffed out.
It was Milan, though, who took the lead. Luiz Adriano threaded a sumptous pass through the heart of the Empoli rearguard and into the path of Carlos Bacca. The Colombian composed himself, rounded Lukasz Skorupski and slid the ball into an empty net.
They say you're at your most vulnerable when you score, however, and the maxim most definitely held true this evening. Saponara returned to haunt his former employers, having latched onto a deft flick from Massimo Maccarone to dispatch past Diego Lopez only three minutes removed from Bacca's opener.
Empoli stamp their authority
Bouyed by Saponara's equaliser, Empoli began to press with a purpose -- as they had so often done under Maurizio Sarri last term -- and were unfortunate not to take the lead. Manuel Pucciarelli profited from Milan's profligacy, but the forward's effort sailed over the bar.
Saponara was then the beneficiary of some slack Milan play on the edge of their own penalty area but, after a playing a lovely give-and-go with Pucciarelli, could only sting the palms of Diego Lopez.
The vistors continued their assault on Milan's goal, with Pucciarelli, an everpresent in the opening period, going close again. The 24-year-old took up a promising position on the edge of he 18-yard area and met Piotr Zielinski's corner with conviction, but his effort trickled wide of the post.
Jeers reverberated around the San Siro as the half-time whistle blew, with Empoli unfortunate not to be heading into the dressing room on top.
Milan wrestle for superiority
The second period began in similar vain to the first, with Milan attempting to seize control in midfield.
Empoli, though, continued flooding forward in search of a second. Daniele Croce, unchallenged, drifted forward and released an effort towards the Milan goal shortly after the break. Saponara, remarkably, was growing in threat.
The biggest chance of the evening, however, fell to Pucciarelli on 61 minutes. Croce lofted a tantalising ball over the Milan backline and into the path of the Italian, but he miscued his effort and Milan survived.
But the visitors were dealt a hammerblow when Milan edged infront. Luiz Adriano, provider of the opener, rose highest from a Giacomo Bonaventura corner to restore his side’s advantage.
Mihajlovic's men close the game out
Neither side could carve out any clear-cut chances, though Carlos Bacca tested Skorupski on a few occasions.
Andrea Bertolacci, however, continued in his quest to gift the visitors as many opportunities as possible. Empoli failed to profit when the Italian surrendered possession on the edge of his own area, with Saponara blasting over.
Marco Giampaolo threw caution to the wind by replacing Federico Barba with Andrea Costa, but the Rossoneri clung on.
Mihajlovic's side welcome Inter to the San Siro when domestic action resumes after the international break, while Empoli welcome Maurizio Sarri back to Tuscany.