Italian Serie A report: AC Milan 2 Cesena 0

AC Milan returned to the top half of the Serie A table after goals from Giacomo Bonaventura and substitute Giampaolo Pazzini secured a 2-0 home victory over Cesena.

The Italy midfielder struck midway through the first half at San Siro and Pazzini converted a late penalty to alleviate some of the pressure mounting on head coach Filippo Inzaghi.

But the Rossoneri still have plenty to prove sitting in a distant eighth place, where they are seven points off the last European berth.

It was a 14th defeat of the season for Cesena and the Seahorses remain seven points from safety.

Milan had the ball in the back of the net after only two minutes as Andrea Poli nodded home from Nicola Leali's short clearance, but the offside flag shot up.

On a rare break forward Cesena tested Christian Abbiati with a long-range sighter from Gregoire Defrel yet, in the 22nd minute, it would be Milan who opened the scoring.

A burst of speed from Jeremy Menez brought the Frenchman into an excellent position to pick out Bonaventura and the midfielder left Leali standing with a smooth finish.

In his enthusiasm to celebrate with the home fans, the 25-year-old tripped over the advertising hoardings, avoiding injury but not embarrassment.

The Rossoneri struggled to press home their authority for the rest of the half and Dutch enforcer Nigel de Jong broke up several promising moves by Cesena.

Shortly before the break, Poli let rip from 20 metres, with Giuseppe De Feudis making a firm block before Riccardo Montolivo fizzed the ball just past Leali's near post from the edge of the box.

Bonaventura came close to doubling Milan's lead following the restart, his volleyed attempt on Menez's cross beating Leali but not the frame of the goal.

Despite holding the advantage the Rossoneri were starting to look uninspired in the final third and Inzaghi soon threw Pazzini into the fray at the expense of the anonymous Mattia Destro.

The former Inter Milan striker's first contribution was to attempt an acrobatic header on a Menez pass, but he could not hit the target.

Pazzini next tried his luck with power from distance, his shot sailing wide, but he would be offered another opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

When Carlos Carbonero fouled Luca Antonelli in Cesena's penalty area, Pazzini stepped up and stuck his spot-kick straight down the middle for his long-overdue first league goal of the season.