Mario Balotelli scored a brace, including a stunning free-kick seven minutes from time, to help secure a share of the points for Milan in a hard-fought 2-2 away draw to Livorno on Saturday.
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Balotelli had opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a cheeky but fortuitous flick at the back post following Kaka's inviting ball across the face of goal.
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However Livorno, the home town of Massimiliano Allegri, were in no mood to honour the Milan coach's 200th game in Serie A and were soon back level and pushing for the win.
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Davide Nicola's men equalised on 26 minutes when Luca Siligardi fired in a fierce curler that bounced just in front of Milan 'keeper Gabriel to end up in the far bottom corner.
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Balotelli missed a scoring chance shortly after the interval and, as Milan switched tactics to press for the lead – midfielder Antonio Nocerino making way for striker M'Baye Niang – Livorno sighted the breakthrough.
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Milan's defence had been guilty of leaving space at the back all too often and when Paulinho collected a weighted through-ball from midfield the striker outpaced Cristian Zapata with ease to beat Gabriel at his near post in the 58th minute.
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Livorno's hopes of holding on for their first win against Milan since January 2005 were kept in check when a Balotelli free-kick from 25 metres left 'keeper Francesco Bardi with no chance in the Livorno net with seven minutes to play.
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Balotelli had ended a two-month goal drought in the league only last week and almost had his third two minutes from time but the striker saw a stunning, looping drive smack off the crossbar with Bardi beaten.
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Milan's sixth draw of the campaign left them in eighth place but in danger of being overtaken by three teams – Lazio, Parma and Atalanta –who are only a point adrift ahead of their games away to Torino, Inter and Verona respectively.
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Torino and Udinese are two points back and can also overtake the Serie A giants with wins against Lazio and Napoli respectively.
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Milan host Ajax on Wednesday hoping to beat the Dutch giants to second spot in Group H and book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
That is why Balotelli will always be key to AC Milan. He is a superb stricker anytime anyday.
Good for him.