AC Milan strengthen top four hopes with victory over Cremonese

AC Milan edged nearer to a Champions League place next term after two goals in the closing stages secured a 2-0 victory away at Cremonese on Sunday.

Strahinja Pavlovic nodded Milan into the lead in the 90th minute off his shoulder, then Rafael Leao tapped in an easy finish during added time to hand the visitors a scoreline that belied their uninspired showing in Cremona.

Milan, absent from European action this campaign, hold faint prospects of lifting the Serie A trophy, the seven time European kings trailing table toppers Inter Milan by 10 points.

The Milan derby next weekend offers scant beyond city rivalry stakes, Inter forging ahead with 11 fixtures still to play in the league schedule.

Milan's key target this season remains Champions League qualification, Massimiliano Allegri's charges tracking well towards that ambition.

"We face a significant milestone, teams trailing us keep amassing points," Allegri remarked to DAZN.

"Clubs such as Como, Atalanta with games ahead, Napoli clinched theirs eventually, plus Roma and Juventus loom. We must advance match by match."

Como in fifth trail Milan by nine points, Roma in fourth and seven adrift meet Juventus in Sunday's marquee encounter.

Atalanta could close to two points of Champions League positions by beating Sassuolo, after their gripping 4-3 aggregate success against Borussia Dortmund left them as Italy's lone representatives in the last 16 of Europe's elite club event.

Jamie Vardy's Cremonese drift perilously close to Serie B drop after 13 winless outings in a row, the promoted side hovering beyond the bottom three via goal difference alone.