Pisa, Italy,14 February (H.S.): In a pulsating Serie A encounter at Arena Garibaldi Stadium on Saturday, veteran maestro Luka Modrić conjured a sublime 85th-minute winner, propelling AC Milan to a hard-fought 2-1 victory against bottom-dwelling Pisa SC and narrowing the chasm to leaders Inter Milan.

Modrić, the 40-year-old Croatian luminary, clinically dispatched a seven-yard chip—his second Serie A goal—past Pisa custodian Nicolas after a deft exchange with Samuele Ricci, extinguishing the hosts' late resurgence following Felipe Loyola's 71st-minute equalizer from 12 meters and a profligate 56th-minute penalty squandered by Niclas Füllkrug.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek had earlier etched Milan's 39th-minute ascendancy, soaring to volley Zachary Athekame's exquisite right-wing cross beyond reach, yet Adrien Rabiot's 92nd-minute double booking—first for fouling Piccini, then remonstrating—condemned the Rossoneri to repel Tuscany's frantic finale with ten men.

This gritty conquest elevates Milan to 53 points from 24 fixtures, trailing Inter—hosting Juventus Saturday—by a slender five, leapfrogging Napoli by four amid a congested summit skirmish; Pisa languish on 15 from 25, six adrift of salvation, their Loyola landmark overshadowed by relegation perdition.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar