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By Paul Virgo
ROME, Feb 22 - Injury-hit AC Milan kept their
slender Serie A title hopes alive when a second-half Clarence
Seedorf goal secured a 1-0 home win over in-form Cagliari on
Sunday.
The Dutchman sidefooted into an empty net in the 66th minute
after Cagliari defender Diego Lopez collided with keeper
Federico Marchetti while trying to head back the ball.
Third-placed Milan remain 11 points behind leaders Inter
Milan, who warmed up for Tuesday's Champions League clash
against Manchester United with a 2-1 win at Bologna on Saturday.
Romanian striker Adrian Mutu hit a stoppage-time winner for
Fiorentina who came from behind to beat Chievo Verona 2-1 and
moved up to fourth place.
Cagliari, who had won five of their last six games, gave a
lively showing at the San Siro against a Milan side that had
Filippo Inzaghi alone up front due to injuries to strikers
Andriy Shevchenko, Marco Borriello, Ronaldinho and Alexandre
Pato, as well as playmaker Kaka.
Inzaghi, who had a goal disallowed for offside in the 22nd
minute, was often too isolated and the hosts struggled to create
chances in the first half.
David Beckham, back in Milan's starting lineup after sitting
out almost all of Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen in the
UEFA Cup with a knock, whipped in some nice crosses that went
begging.
At the other end Milan keeper Christian Abbiati saved well
from Robert Acquafresca (twice) and Andrea Cossu, who then gave
the home crowd a scare after the break when he hit the post with
a powerful right-footed shot.
Seedorf's goal settled Milan's nerves, although TV replays
suggested Lopez may have been given a shove by Inzaghi before
tangling with Marchetti.
"It was a difficult game because we have a major emergency
in attack at the moment," coach Carlo Ancelotti told Sky
television.
"We did very well, considering what was possible. We took
the winning chance and hung on until the end. We couldn't do
anything else."
Fiorentina's victory over second-from-bottom Chievo finished
with skirmishes on the field as the visitors were angry that
Mutu scored while one of their players was down hurt.
Chievo went ahead in the 13th minute with a goal by defender
Santiago Morero and had midfielder Vincenzo Italiano sent off
for a second yellow card in the 82nd. Alberto Gilardino had
headed Fiorentina level 17 minutes from time.
Genoa returned to fifth place with a 1-0 win at Napoli
thanks to a goal by second-half substitute Bosko Jankovic, and
pushed AS Roma, 1-0 victors over Siena on Saturday, back down to
sixth in the process.
Second-placed Juventus are nine points behind Inter after
they beat Palermo 2-0 on Saturday.
(Editing by Miles Evans)