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AC Milan win, edge closer to Serie A title

DANIELLA MATARAP
Rafael Leao scored Serie A leaders AC Milan's opening goal in the 2-0 win over Atalanta.
Camera IconRafael Leao scored Serie A leaders AC Milan's opening goal in the 2-0 win over Atalanta. Credit: AP

AC Milan's lengthy wait for the Italian league title will last another week at least.

Second-half goals from Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez saw Milan beat Atalanta 2-0 and they now only need one point from their final match to secure a first Serie A title since 2011.

The Rossoneri could even have clinched the title on Sunday but defending champions and fierce rivals Inter Milan won 3-1 at relegation-threatened Cagliari to keep their fading title hopes alive.

Milan are two points ahead of Inter and have the better head-to-head record, which is the first tiebreaker in Serie A. Stefano Pioli's Milan play at Sassuolo in the final round next weekend, and Inter host Sampdoria.

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There was a heady atmosphere at San Siro, with Milan fans knowing their team is on the brink of ending the 11-year wait.

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However, Atalanta managed to frustrate Milan and almost took the lead in the 31st minute but Rossoneri goalkeeper Mike Maignan pulled off a good save to keep out Luis Muriel's effort.

Milan upped the tempo in the second half and fans were on their feet 11 minutes after the restart as Leao used his pace to run onto a ball over the top from Junior Messias -- who had only just come on -- and drill it into the bottom left corner.

And Milan sealed the match 15 minutes from time with a stunning goal from Hernandez, who mazed his way from the edge of his area all the way into the opponents' area before firing into the bottom right corner.

Two more goals from star striker Lautaro Martinez, and one from Ivan Perisic, kept alive Inter's hopes.

Martinez's goals - his 24th and 25th of the season - came in the second half as Inter faced a stern test in Cagliari, who remain two points from safety.

Lorenzo Insigne bid an emotional farewell to Napoli and netted a penalty in a 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Genoa.

It was the final home game for 30-year-old Insigne, who is leaving Naples at the end of the season after 15 years to join Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, and he gave an emotional speech to the fans before kick-off.

Earlier, Sassuolo won 3-1 at Bologna.

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