By DPA
Milan : AC Milan’s young talent Alexandre Pato scored a late winner as the Devils snatched a 1-0 win at Fiorentina, who still held the fourth place in Serie A football granting a Champions League berth.
The Florence side stayed rooted on 37 points, four clear of Udinese and Milan, who can improve their tally on Feb 13 through a game in hand with Livorno.
Title holders Inter Milan remain top on 53 points from 21 games, having extended their lead to eight points with a 1-0 win over Empoli, while second-place Roma crashed 3-0 at struggling Siena.
In rainy Florence Sunday, defender Manuel Pasqual scared the home crowd on seven minutes as he shook his own woodwork trying to clear a lob tried by Milan’s single striker Alberto Gilardino.
The Artemio Franchi roared in the 14th minute when Fiorentina’s first chance went begging as Adrian Mutu nodded against the post and found goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac ready to grab his second header on the rebound.
Giampaolo Pazzini had a chance for the hosts in the 40th minute but fired wide after getting the best of Alessandro Nesta, while Milan forward Kaka had his drive saved as he tried to finish off an assist from Clarence Seedorf.
As the tempo eased after the break, Milan added a striker in the 66th minute as they replaced Dutchman Seedorf with Brazilian Pato, who in the 77th minute put the Devils up with a classy control and a precise shot past Sebastien Frey.
Mutu had come close a minute earlier, being denied by Kalac as he volleyed from an angled position. The Australian goalkeeper was crucial again in injury time, blocking a close-range header from Alessandro Gamberini.
Bad news for Milan was the ankle injury that on 45 minutes forced Pato to leave the pitch on a stretcher.
“It was very important to win,” Kalac said. “We drew closer (to fourth place) playing a great game.”