04/19/26 01:04:00
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04/19 13:03 CDT AC Milan steadies Champions League push with 1-0 win at
last-placed Verona
AC Milan steadies Champions League push with 1-0 win at last-placed Verona
By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
MILAN (AP) --- AC Milan boosted its chances of qualifying for next season's
Champions League and moved back into second spot in Serie A with a 1-0 win at
last-placed Hellas Verona on Sunday.
Adrien Rabiot scored the only goal of the match shortly before halftime.
The Rossoneri had been left nervously looking over their shoulders after
back-to-back losses against Napoli and Udinese. But the victory lifted Milan
eight points above fifth-placed Como and back into second after Napoli's loss
against Lazio the previous day.
Juventus can move back to within three points of Milan with a win over Bologna
later. Milan hosts Juventus next week.
Milan and Napoli are 12 points behind Serie A leader Inter Milan with five
rounds remaining. If Inter beats Torino next Sunday and both Milan and Napoli
fail to win, the Nerazzurri would clinch the title.
Rabiot was by far the best player of the first half and he broke the deadlock
in the 41st minute. The France international won the ball in midfield and then
spread it to Rafael Leao, before racing into the area to receive the through
ball back and sweep it into the bottom right corner.
Matteo Gabbia was making his first appearance after two months out with injury
and thought he had doubled Milan's lead in the 74th but it was ruled out for an
offside earlier in the move.
Gabbia also denied Verona a huge goalscoring chance at the other end.
Verona was 10 points from safety.
Cremonese in trouble
Cremonese remained without a win at home in Serie A since early December after
it was held to a 0-0 draw by Torino and could drop into the relegation zone.
Cremonese was a point above 18th-placed Lecce, which plays Fiorentina on Monday.
Pisa remained level on points with Verona after losing 2-1 at home to Daniele
De Rossi's Genoa, which came from behind for the win and moved 12 points above
the drop zone.
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