Pjanic, Gervinho strike as Roma beat Milan

Gervinho (L) scores a tap-in to secure a 2-0 home win for Roma against Milan. (AFP/Alberto Pizzoli)

MILAN: A stunning individual effort from Miralem Pjanic and a second-half tap-in from Gervinho secured a 2-0 home win for Roma against Milan and dented the Rossoneri's bid for a Europa League place next season.

Roma's 26th win of the campaign reduced the gap to Juventus to five points but with the Serie A leaders at relegation-haunted Sassuolo on Monday, Rudi Garcia's men are once again expected to find themselves with an eight-point deficit, with three games remaining.

Roma, who last week secured the league's second automatic qualifying spot for the Champions League, had beaten Milan only once in the sides' last six league encounters.

On the back of what has been a record-setting season for the capital club, and with Milan struggling amid what has been one of their worst campaigns, Roma were fully expected to prevail at the Olympic Stadium.

Milan were brimming with the confidence of five consecutive wins but apart from half chances from Kaka and Mario Balotelli, Clarence Seedorf's side offered little real threat in a tentative opening half.

Kaka gave the visitors some early hope when he pounced on a poor Dodo pass to charge towards goal, only to see his effort blocked by midfielder Daniele De Rossi.

With 14 league goals this campaign, Balotelli is enjoying his most prolific season to date but the Milan striker showed little threat and was eventually replaced by Giampaolo Pazzini on 69 minutes.

Before then, Roma threatened shortly before the interval when De Rossi blasted over from a short corner and the breakthrough, when it came, raised the roof at the Olympic Stadium.

Bosnian midfielder Pjanic took possession in Milan's half and proceeded to dribble his way past three players before stroking the ball low past Christian Abbiati in the Milan goal.

Milan resumed as they had started the opening half, and were made to pay on 69 minutes when Gervinho pounced on the rebound from Francesco Totti's angled strike to tap into the Milan net for Roma's second.

Milan remain seventh and are still mathematically in contention for a top-five finish.

However, depending on how Torino, Lazio and Verona -- all of whom are two points further adrift -- fare in their respective fixtures this weekend, the Serie A giants could find themselves back in the lower half of the table.

Torino host Udinese, Lazio are away to struggling Livorno while Verona host Catania, who are virtually relegated.