AC Milan secured a hard-fought 0-2 victory over Cremonese in their Serie A (Liga Italia) Week 27 clash on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Stadio Giovanni Zini. The Rossoneri’s crucial goals arrived dramatically in the dying moments of the match, ultimately sealing a vital three points.
This result sees AC Milan maintain their strong position in the league, sitting comfortably in second place with 57 points. Conversely, Cremonese continues to battle in the lower echelons of the table, currently occupying 17th spot with 24 points.
Cremonese Starting XI: Emil Audero; Francesco Folino, Matteo Bianchetti, Sebastiano Luperto; Morten Thorsby, Youssef Maleh, Jari Vandeputte, Giuseppe Pezzella, Alessio Zerbin; Jamie Vardy, Federico Bonazzoli.
Milan Starting XI: Mike Maignan; Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic; Youssouf Fofana, Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Davide Bartesaghi, Alexis Saelemaekers, Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao.
From the outset of the first half, both teams engaged in an intense, end-to-end contest, exchanging attacks and testing each other’s resolve. The defensive lines of both AC Milan and Cremonese showcased their ability to thwart numerous attacking opportunities, indicating a tightly contested affair.
AC Milan crafted one of their early promising chances in the 11th minute when Rafael Leao found a sliver of space and unleashed a shot, though it drifted just wide of the Cremonese goal. Nine minutes later, Alexis Saelemaekers also tried his luck from distance, but his effort similarly went wide, leaving the score untouched.
Cremonese, not to be outdone, fashioned a dangerous opportunity in the 27th minute. Following a well-placed cross, veteran striker Jamie Vardy connected with a strike that narrowly missed the Milan net, serving as a warning shot to the visitors.
The half saw a moment of individual brilliance from Cremonese goalkeeper Emil Audero in the 45+1 minute. Youssouf Fofana, finding himself with an open look on the edge of the penalty area, fired a powerful shot towards the bottom right corner, only for Audero to pull off a magnificent, two-handed save, preserving the deadlock.
At the close of the first half, AC Milan held 55 percent of the possession and registered 11 shots (2 on target), while Cremonese managed 9 shots (2 on target). Despite the attacking endeavors from both sides, the score remained 0-0 at the interval.
The second half commenced with the match remaining equally tense and finely balanced. AC Milan had to wait until the 60th minute for another clear-cut chance, as Rafael Leao, receiving a pass from Adrien Rabiot, fired a shot from inside the box that sailed agonizingly just over the Cremonese crossbar, denying him a breakthrough.
Five minutes later, Cremonese responded with a threat of their own. Jari Vandeputte collected a superb long pass and attempted a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but his effort flew high over Mike Maignan’s goal, easing the pressure on the Milan defense.
Emil Audero was called into action once more in the 73rd minute. Rafael Leao expertly penetrated the defense before unleashing a low shot towards the center of the goal, but Audero stood firm, denying the Portuguese winger with another crucial block, further solidifying his reputation as Cremonese’s defensive bulwark.
However, Audero’s impressive resistance was finally broken in the 90th minute. A precise cross from midfield maestro Luka Modric found Strahinja Pavlovic, who headed the ball into the Cremonese net. The goal underwent a VAR check for a potential handball, but after a tense review, the referee confirmed its legitimacy, sending the Milan faithful into raptures.
AC Milan then doubled their lead in the 90+4 minute to put the result beyond doubt. Christopher Nkunku delivered a well-weighted pass, which Rafael Leao emphatically struck into the back of the net, securing his goal and Milan’s 0-2 victory. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle, clinching a crucial away win for the Rossoneri.
Summary
AC Milan secured a hard-fought 0-2 victory against Cremonese in their Serie A Week 27 clash on March 1, 2026, at the Stadio Giovanni Zini. The match remained goalless until the final moments, with both teams exchanging attacks and Cremonese goalkeeper Emil Audero making crucial saves. This vital win keeps AC Milan firmly in second place with 57 points in the league standings.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 90th minute by Strahinja Pavlovic’s header from a Luka Modric cross, a goal confirmed after a VAR check. Rafael Leao then sealed Milan’s 0-2 victory in the 90+4 minute, securing three crucial points for the Rossoneri. Despite a strong defensive effort, Cremonese remains in 17th position with 24 points.