Rebić nets swift hat trick as Milan beats Torino 7-0

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<p>MILAN &mdash; Ante Rebić netted a 12-minute hat trick in the second half to help AC Milan rout Torino 7-0 in Serie A on Wednesday and strengthen its chances to qualify for the Champions League.</p>
<p>Theo Hernández also scored twice as Milan remained level on points with second-place Atalanta, which beat Benevento 2-0.</p>
<p>The two are a point above Napoli and three above fifth-place Juventus, which won 3-1 at Sassuolo. There are two rounds remaining in Serie A and the top four qualify for next season’s Champions League.</p>
<p>Milan was without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimović but Hernández gave it the lead in the 19th minute and Samu Castillejo hit the woodwork before Franck Kessié converted a penalty in the 26th.</p>
<p>It took until early in the second half before Milan extended its advantage through Brahim Díaz and the floodgates then opened.</p>
<p>Hernández doubled his tally in the 62nd and Rebić netted his first five minutes later.</p>
<p>BUFFON TO THE RESCUE</p>
<p>World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon announced on Tuesday that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/serie-a-ligue-1-europe-international-soccer-world-cup-c61acbc09cc1d24c32db9e4a26a15940">he will leave Juventus</a> at the end of the season. Until then, the 43-year-old Buffon is still rescuing his side.</p>
<p>Buffon saved an early penalty from Domenico Berardi before goals from Adrien Rabiot, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala secured the win for Juventus.</p>
<p>Lazio also still has a chance of qualifying for the Champions League after Ciro Immobile scored in stoppage time to help it to a 1-0 win against already-relegated Parma.</p>
<p>Lazio is five points behind fourth-place Napoli but has a match in hand.</p>
<p>RELEGATION BATTLE</p>
<p>Spezia and Cagliari boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation by drawing against Sampdoria and Fiorentina, respectively.</p>
<p>Spezia is level on points with Torino, which has played a match less than most of its rivals, and four points above 18th-place Benevento.</p>
<p>Cagliari is five points above the bottom zone.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, newly-crowned champion Inter Milan beat Roma 3-1 and Genoa won 2-0 at Bologna.</p>
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