Milan survived a late Atalanta uprising, turning a 3-0 lead into a hard-fought 3-2 victory in the clash between the two sides at the San Siro on Sunday, in the seventh round of Serie A.
Three goals up, the hosts looked home and dry. Then Atalanta struck twice in the closing minutes, set the game alight and had Milan hanging on until the final whistle.
Gonzalo Ramos opened the scoring for Milan in the 24th minute from a penalty awarded after a video assistant referee review, after the ball struck the arm of substitute Obric inside the penalty area.
Two minutes before the break, Frenchman Adrien Rabiot doubled the Rossoneri's lead. He took a pass from Moreira, slipped his marker between the lines, beat a defender and drilled a right-footed finish into the near corner past goalkeeper Carnesecchi.
Mario Gila made it three in the 58th minute. Luka Modric swung in a corner, Rabiot teed him up and the defender slotted it home with ease.
Atalanta refused to go quietly. Their comeback began in the 66th minute when Zalewski fed Gaetano, who caught French goalkeeper Mike Maignan by surprise to pull one back.
By the 81st minute, the San Siro was on edge. Raoul Bellanova burst down the right on a lightning counter and crossed, Milan's defence hesitated, and Krstovic pounced to fire in Atalanta's second.
Atalanta kept pushing for an equaliser, but Milan clung on to take three precious points from a match that nearly became a nightmare for the hosts.
The win lifts Milan to 15 points and fourth in Serie A. Atalanta stay on nine, down in tenth.