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ROME: Centre-back Alessandro Nesta scored a late brace to salvage a victory for AC Milan away to plucky Chievo, who had looked for more than 80 minutes to be heading for a famous win.
But Nesta's late heroics completed a stunning week for Milan which began last weekend with a come-from-behind 2-1 success over AS Roma before their sizzling midweek 3-2 win at Real Madrid.
The defeat, secured with a deflected winner, was harsh luck on Chievo, and in particular goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino, who had long held Milan at bay during a second half onslaught.
And despite Nesta's heroics, the victory owed as much to maligned Milan goalkeeper Dida, slated in midweek for a howler, but the true match-winner here for his stunning one-handed injury-time save from a point-blank Pablo Granoche header, just moments before Nesta's last gasp winner.
Chievo were off to a great start, taking the lead on 7min as Milan's defence crumbled, allowing Andrea Mantovani to cross from the left with the ball finding an unmarked Giampiero Pinzi, who bundled home a bobbling shot from 14 yards out with Dida rooted to his line and no Milan defender within touching distance.
On the quarter hour, Milan should have been level but Clarence Seedorf didn't get hold of his shot from 10 yards and Sorrentino gathered at the second attempt.
The hosts could have doubled their advantage just before the break as Sergio Pellissier found space at the back post but he volleyed high from Pinzi's pinpoint cross.
Milan came out for the second period transformed and only Sorrentino kept them out as Ronaldinho dictated the play.
On 48min, he teed up Pato but the young striker's first touch was too heavy and allowed Sorrentino to come out and block before Andrea Pirlo lobbed the rebound well over the bar.
Six minutes later, Ronaldinho fired a shot at goal from seven yards that Sorrentino beat away as Chievo's defence struggled to cope with the Brazilian star.
On the hour, Pellissier had a great chance to settle the match but having got in behind the Milan backline he failed to control the ball and the chance went begging.
With a quarter hour left, Seedorf was again foiled by Sorrentino, who palmed away his swift close range volley.
But Chievo's resistence finally crumbled nine minutes from time as Marco Borriello headed Pirlo's sublime left-foot cross onto the bar and Alessandro Nesta reacted quickest to nod home the loose ball.
Into injury time, Dida made his miraculous save and straight up the other end, Nesta got his head on a corner with the ball taking a wicked deflection to deceive Sorrentino, who surely did not deserve to finish on the losing side.
The win, their third in a row, moved Milan up to sixth.
Earlier, Juventus ended their four match league run without a win by beating Siena 1-0 away.
Juve struggled to break down stubborn opponents but got their breakthrough on 72min when Amauri headed home a Diego free-kick.
Despite their struggles, coach Ciro Ferrara was happy with his team, even insisting that his cup was neither half full nor half empty.
"I see the cup full. This was a vital victory and a deserved one. I'm very satisfied both by the performance and the result," he said.
The win left Juve four points behind leaders Inter Milan following the champions' 2-1 home win over Catania on Saturday.
Juve are third with Sampdoria, who on Saturday thrashed Bologna 4-1 in Genoa, second, just two points behind Inter.
AS Roma crashed again as they lost 1-0 at home to 10-man Livorno, who until that victory were winless and rock bottom.
Goalkeeper Alfonso Di Luca was sent off on 64min, but Francesco Tavano's 40th-minute goal proved enough to give new boss Serse Cosmi a winning start.
- AFP/so
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