Gilardino new hero for Milan
ROME: Alberto Gilardino answered his doubters with a poacher's goal to earn AC Milan a vital 1-0 win at Reggina on Wednesday.
Gilardino was the main talking point in Milan throughout the week after he was said to be angry at only being introduced to the fray in Sunday's 2-0 win over Genoa with two minutes to play.
Rumors suggested the Italy striker was unhappy at playing second fiddle to new teenage Brazilian Pato and was heading for the exit door.
But instead he fired Milan to victory for the second time in its last four games.
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to his match-winner.
"He is serving Milan, he's scored two decisive goals that have earned us six points," he said.
"When he plays he always gives his all, he's a very important part of our team."
The win moved the European champion up to sixth spot, now only seven points behind Fiorentina and the crucial fourth place and Champions League qualification position - and Milan also has a game in hand.
But this was a far from convincing performance from supposedly Europe's best team, which labored to victory and even resorted to time-wasting at the end in a bid to hold onto what it had.
Sterner tests await Milan, not least a trip to Fiorentina on Sunday in a match that could prove decisive in the race for fourth spot.
"That was an important victory, for me it was derby. Those were three vital points because we need to fight for fourth place," said Milan's midfield enforcer Gennaro Gattuso.
"We need to find a way to close out matches, we never do that and at the end we struggle."
Carlo Ancelotti had sprung a couple of surprises before kickoff, keeping returning Brazilian goalkeeper Nelson Dida on the bench and Australian stopper Zeljko Kalac in the starting lineup.
AFP
(China Daily 02/01/2008 page24)
