Santiago Gimenez came off the bench to deliver a game-changing display, scoring twice to power Milan to a crucial 3-1 win over Bologna on Friday.
The victory at San Siro not only keeps the Rossoneri’s slim top-four hopes alive but also sets the stage for a tantalising Coppa Italia final on Wednesday.
After a mostly uneventful first half, Riccardo Orsolini took charge just four minutes after the break, finishing a swift team move by cutting in from the right and drilling a powerful low shot into the bottom corner to put Bologna ahead.
Milan teased a fightback in the second half, with Theo Hernandez forcing Lukasz Skorupski into a vital save with a swerving effort from the edge of the area.
But it was substitute Gimenez who set San Siro alight in the 73rd minute, latching onto a diverted cross from Christian Pulisic. Left unmarked inside the box, the Mexican international slotted home with cool precision, firing through Skorupski's legs.
Pulisic then completed the turnaround for Milan just six minutes later, capitalising on Joao Felix’s blocked shot that fell into his path to find the bottom corner once again.
Mike Maignan was called into action to make a sensational 90th-minute save to protect Milan’s lead, diving quickly to the ground to parry Nicolo Cambiaghi’s shot.
Gimenez sealed both the win and a fine performance with a stoppage-time goal from inside the box.
The win lifts Milan to eighth in Serie A on 60 points, three behind fourth-placed Juventus, who face sixth-placed Lazio (both on 63 points) on Saturday. Bologna, meanwhile, suffered a blow to their top-four hopes as they now sit seventh with 62 points.
Friday's clash also served as a thrilling dress rehearsal for next week's Coppa Italia final, where the two sides will meet again at the Stadio Olimpico.
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Milan were put on the backfoot early in the second half, and they fought back brilliantly to secure the win. In fact, only Atletico Madrid (23) have gained more points from losing position than Milan among teams in Europe’s big five leagues this season (22, level with Liverpool).
Sergio Conceicao’s side have now won three games in a row for the second time in Serie A this term, having previously done so in September last year.
The Rossoneri are also rediscovering their scoring touch, with seven goals across their last three league games. Against Bologna, they comfortably outperformed their opponents in expected goals, generating 1.64 expected goals (xG) to Bologna’s 0.63.