On paper, there was only one winner in this clash between title chasers and relegation battlers, and true to form, it was Milan who started the brighter.
They had a great opportunity to take the lead inside the opening 15 minutes when Christian Pulisic broke clear on goal only for some heroic David de Gea goalkeeping to thwart the American before he could get a shot off.
In almost carbon-copy fashion, Pulisic was through on goal again just moments later, and although this time he rounded De Gea, his effort only rippled the side netting.
Pulisic was somewhat of a one-man band for Milan at times in the first half, and he was again duelling with De Gea shortly before the half-hour mark when he broke into the box in an inside left position and saw his effort repelled by the midriff of Fiorentina’s stopper.
Another chance came and went for the visitors just moments later when Pulisic was involved yet again, this time flashing an effort wide from the edge of the area. Things could only get better after the break for a Fiorentina side who struggled in front of goal in the first half.
They managed to force Mike Maignan into action within minutes of the restart when an inswinging delivery was glanced goalwards by Robin Gosens, but the Frenchman’s legs came to Milan’s rescue.
The head of Gosens was proving to be Fiorentina’s best route to goal, as the German’s diving header from Dodo’s pinpoint delivery forced Maignan to backtrack and claim the ball right under his crossbar. Yet another header yielded La Viola’s opener, and this time there was to be no Maignan intervention as Pietro Comuzzo rose highest inside the area to head home Albert Gudmundsson’s corner.
An offensive change from Massimiliano Allegri saw Strahinja Pavlovic withdrawn in place of Christopher Nkunku, and it proved to be an absolute masterstroke of a change in the 90th minute when Youssouf Fofana teed him up in the area, and the Frenchman hammered home an effort off the post.
Nkunku’s third goal in two games saved face for Milan, but the Rossoneri still remain two points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter, having played a game more, while Fiorentina’s failure to hold on saw them miss the chance to climb out of the bottom three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Pietro Comuzzo (Fiorentina)