AC Milan 3 - 1 Chievo Verona

AC Milan 3-1 Chievo Verona

Updated: March 3, 2007, 4:47 PM ET

MILAN, March 3 (Serie A) - AC Milan moved level with Lazio in fourth place after coming from behind to beat Chievo at the San Siro on Saturday night.

Despite not scoring himself, Ronaldo was the inspiration behind Milan's recovery, while Dida had a night to forget in the hosts' goal.

Sergio Pellissier was gifted the easiest of goals by the Brazilian in the 17th minute to put Chievo ahead.

Alberto Gilardino scored a 33rd-minute equaliser with Massimo Oddo firing in a stunning second 10 minutes into the second half. Clarence Seedorf put away the last of many dangerous free-kicks in stoppage time to seal the three points for Carlo Ancelotti's side and put the pressure on Lazio, who host Sampdoria on Sunday.

Dida is a goalkeeper capable of the sublime match-winning save, or the ridiculous lapse in concentration and indecision which can cost his side points.

And it was the latter case which almost gifted Chievo a fifth-minute lead.

He delayed his clearance and only found Paolo Sammarco on the edge of the box, but the Chievo midfielder could not control the ball quickly enough to get a shot in at the empty goal.

Dida's luck did not last, though, and an error of judgement let Pellissier in for the opener.

Daniel Bonera and Dida left the ball for each other, but it was the Chievo striker who was more decisive and benefited as the Milan players clashed, slotting home a simple tap-in in the 17th minute.

Ronaldo was by far the home side's liveliest player, and if only Gilardino had been alert, he would have had a one-on-one opportunity to beat Lorenzo Squizzi from the Brazilian's weighted through-ball.

Ronaldo did actually find the back of the net before Chievo's goal, but a tight offside decision made his remarkable control, turn and shot count for nothing.

There was little doubt the home side would pull level sooner or later and, after Andrea Pirlo, Oddo and Kaka all tested Squizzi with free-kicks, the latter took another dip at the Chievo goalkeeper.

This time, Squizzi could not keep hold of the ball and he fumbled it to the feet of Gilardino.

The Italy international was fully prepared this time and lifted the loose ball over Squizzi into the back of the net.

Chievo coach Luigi del Neri was far from impressed that no offside flag had been shown to Gilardino and his repeated protests to the linesman resulted in his dismissal 10 minutes before the interval.

He missed the continuation of the Ronaldo show, which just lacked a goal from the lively Milan number 99.

Squizzi could not resist for long and Milan needed just 10 minutes of the second half to take the lead.

Again, Ronaldo was involved, although he was perhaps expecting a return pass after spreading the ball wide to Oddo.

However, the right-back did not lift the ball back into the area, but instead chose to drill a shot into the far corner of the goal with Squizzi unable to get anywhere near it.

While Ronaldo was leading Milan's charge to three vital points in the race for fourth spot, Dida appeared to be intent on undoing his compatriot and team-mate's hard work.

Pellissier almost headed the visitors back level as Dida wandered out of his goal but, fortunately for the Milan keeper, the ball flew over his crossbar.

At the other end, Ronaldo was getting even closer to scoring. He dribbled round Salvatore Lanna, who slipped on the difficult San Siro turf, but his attempted lob over Squizzi also cleared the crossbar.

He left the field without managing to put his name on the scoresheet three minutes from the end, but having made a large contribution to a result which takes Milan closer to their aim of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

In stoppage time, his replacement Seedorf showed his team-mates how to score from a 20-yard set-piece, lifting the ball over the wall into the back of Squizzi's net.