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Alberto Gilardino's goal proved enough to maintain Milan's climb up the table as they conquer Reggina 1-0 in a rescheduled Week 15 tie.

This match was rescheduled from December 9, 2007 due to the Rossoneri's participation in the Club World Cup in Japan. Nelson Dida, Ronaldo and Pippo Inzaghi were injured, so Alexandre Pato partnered Alberto Gilardino just three days after the Brazilian teenager bagged both goals in the 2-0 victory over Genoa. Reggina were fresh from a 2-2 draw away to Atalanta, where they fought back from 2-0 down, but Emil Halfredsson and Nicola Amoruso were sidelined.

Gennaro Gattuso scored a rare goal against Atalanta last week, albeit with the aid of a deflection, and he tried to repeat the trick with a fierce right-foot drive that the 'keeper palmed out for a corner. Pato, Kaka and Reggina's Emmanuel Cascione had efforts from distance.

Milan broke the deadlock after 18 minutes with under-fire Alberto Gilardino. An Andrea Pirlo cross found Gila unmarked at the back post and although Andrea Campagnolo got a hand to it, the free header was too powerful and squeezed in. It was the former Parma striker's seventh Serie A goal of the season, all of them away from home.

Moments later Gilardino nodded a Pirlo free kick just over, but he was in an offside position. Alvarez did well to close down Kaka as he ran on to an inspired chipped Pirlo pass, but Gattuso had another two attempts from the edge of the box, the second bringing a save out of Campagnolo.

Reggina's first real scoring opportunity was on 32 minutes, as Fabio Ceravolo got away from Alessandro Nesta and tested Zeljko Kalac at the near post.

Pato fired over from the D and Kaka drilled just wide before the break, while Gattuso and Simone Missiroli had long-range efforts after the restart.

The Amaranto threw on January signing Cristian Stuani and Campagnolo fingertipped a Pirlo set-piece out for a corner.

In the space of 20 seconds Milan had two fantastic opportunities to double their advantage. First Pirlo's free kick was curled over the wall and on to the crossbar, then as the move continued Campagnolo performed an incredible point-blank reaction save on Emerson.

A splendid Pato volley flashed wide of the near post, but the 18-year-old wasted a counter with a terrible finish. Gilardino was at full stretch to toe-poke a Massimo Oddo cross just past the far post.

Substitutes Cristian Brocchi and Yoann Gourcuff kept the Reggina defence busy late on.

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Milan: Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Favalli; Gattuso, Pirlo (Brocchi 82), Emerson; Kakà; Pato (Gourcuff 82), Gilardino
Reggina: Campagnalo; Lanzaro, Cirillo, Aronica; Alvarez, Cascione (Barreto 68), Cozza, Modesto; Vigiani (Montiel 74), Missiroli; Ceravolo (Stuani 61)
Ref: De Marco

Channel 4