MILAN: Franck Kessie scored a 97th-minute penalty to rescue a 1-1 draw for title-chasing AC Milan at home to Udinese on Wednesday, a result that hands Inter Milan a big opportunity to stretch their lead in the Serie A title race.

Rodrigo Becao’s second-half header at the San Siro completely deceived Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Stefano Pioli’s faltering side looked destined for a third defeat in four games.

But a needless handball from Udinese substitute Jens Stryger Larsen offered Milan a lifeline, with Ivorian international Kessie converting the penalty with the final kick of the match.

Milan have picked up four points from their last four league games and leaders Inter now have the chance to go six points clear at the top of the table by winning their game in hand. Milan are second with 53 points, while Udinese are 11th with 29 points.

Atalanta remained fourth and gave newly-appointed Crotone coach Serse Cosmi a debut to forget as they beat the bottom side 5-1 in Bergamo.

Robin Gosens headed in the opener, but Simy equalised with a neat chipped finish to leave the game level at the break.

Yet Atalanta ran away with it in the second half as Jose Luis Palomino, Luis Muriel, Josip Ilicic and Aleksei Miranchuk scored to give Gian Piero Gasperinis side a fourth consecutive league win and send them level with third-placed Juventus on 49 points.

Atalanta are two points clear of AS Roma, who needed a late winner from Amadou Diawara to secure a 2-1 victory at Fiorentina after Leonardo Spinazzola had scored at both ends.

Francesco Caputo’s stoppage-time penalty earned Sassuolo a dramatic 3-3 draw against Napoli, as Gennaro Gattuso’s sixth-placed side dropped vital points in the race for the Champions League places, dropping three points below Roma.

Sassuolo twice led through a Nikola Maksimovic own goal and Domenico Berardi penalty. Piotr Zielinski’s fine strike had levelled for Napoli who then went in front courtesy of Lorenzo Insigne’s 90th-minute penalty following an equaliser by Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

Cagliari climbed out of the relegation zone as Daniele Rugani’s first-half header clinched a 1-0 win at home to Bologna and sealed back-to-back victories for the first time since October.

Benevento continued their slide down the table following a 3-0 loss against Hellas Verona, while Genoa and Sampdoria drew 1-1.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2021