Luka Modric netted a late goal to secure a 2-1 victory for AC Milan against Pisa, narrowing the gap to Serie A leaders Inter Milan to just five points on Friday.
Inter is set to face fourth-place Juventus on Saturday.
Milan had endured a challenging stretch, drawing three of their last six matches, including ones against struggling teams like Fiorentina and Genoa, and had to work hard to overcome a side that had won just one league match all season.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek opened the scoring just before halftime with a well-timed header from a right-side cross, while Niclas Füllkrug missed a penalty as Milan began to seize control of the game after a sluggish start.
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Pisa, however, posed a threat to Milan’s title aspirations when Felipe Loyola leveled the score with 20 minutes remaining.
In a crucial moment, former Tottenham and Real Madrid player Modric saved the day for Milan six minutes before the end when he dashed into the box and slotted in the winning goal.
Despite Adrien Rabiot receiving a red card shortly after, Milan managed to hold on for the important three points as Massimiliano Allegri’s side celebrated the hard-fought win.
United States international Christian Pulisic made his return as a substitute in the 77th minute after missing Milan’s previous 3-0 victory over Bologna ten days earlier.
Meanwhile, Pisa finds itself tied on points with Verona, while Fiorentina is three points above, and Lecce sits three points clear of both teams.
The two Milan teams are set to clash in a city derby at San Siro on March 8.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.