Last gasp Pato sends Milan second

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MILAN, Feb 24, 2010 (AFP) - Brazilian striker Pato scored two minutes into injury time to give AC Milan a crucial 2-1 victory at Fiorentina which moved them up to second in Serie A.

With nine minutes left in this match, originally scheduled for December but postponed due to bad weather, Milan were a goal down and their title hopes were hanging by a thread.

But substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar equalised Alberto Gilardino's first half opener and then Pato scored the goal that moves Milan a point above AS Roma and just four behind leaders Inter Milan.

For a team who knew they could go second it was no surprise to see Milan come out on the attack.

In just the second minute Andrea Pirlo tried his luck from distance and it needed a combination of Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey and captain Riccardo Montolivo to clear the hosts' lines.

But La Viola soon wrested control of the game from their visitors and Peru international Juan Vargas lashed a shot into the side-netting from a tight angle when released down the left into the box.

And Fiorentina deservedly went in front on 14 minutes after a flowing team move as Montolivo slipped Vargas into a similar position as before only for the Peruvian to pull the ball back for Stevan Jovetic, whose shot bobbled over Gilardino's foot and past a bemused Christian Abbiati in the Milan goal.

The hosts should have had another on 27 minutes but were guilty of overplaying the ball and when Lorenzo De Silvestri pulled the ball back for Gilardino when he should have shot himself, the striker's scuffed effort was cleared.

Milan were holding on but they came back into the game late on in the half and substitute Mathieu Flamini, who had earlier replaced the injured Massimo Ambrosini, shot inches wide from 22 yards.

Milan, and Pato in particular, had a new lease of life after the break and on 51 minutes the young Brazilian cut in from the right and his inswinging left foot cross almost crept in at the far post.

Pato then fired a cross from the same side to Pirlo at the back post but the midfielder dallied rather than shooting first time and was crowded out.

Moments later Pato again found space in the box but lashed his shot high and wide.

Fiorentina were soon back bossing the game, though, and a tricky run from Marco Marchionni saw him almost tee up substitute Keirrison.

But just as La Viola seemed to be in control, substitute forward Huntelaar, who coach Leonardo had brought on for defensive midfielder Gennaro Gattuso in a bold attacking move, played a one-two with Ronaldinho and then fired a crisp low shot under Frey.

Keirrison could have won it for Fiorentina four minutes from time but his shot from five yards as he fell over was blocked by Abbiati, who then made a flying one-handed save from a Vargas thunder-bolt.

But then deep into injury time Ronaldinho crossed from the left and Pato finished clinically to break the hosts' hearts.

In the day's other game Sardinians Cagliari missed the chance to go fourth as they were beaten 2-1 at lowly Udinese.