Juventus seize top spot after Milan slip up
Reuters - Saturday 07 April 2012, 21:23
Juventus bounded to the top of Serie A
by securing a battling 2-0 victory at Palermo after former
striker Amauri condemned AC Milan to a 2-1 defeat at home to
Fiorentina on Saturday.
Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci headed in ex-Milan playmaker
Andrea Pirlo's corner after 56 minutes and Fabio Quagliarella
netted an angled drive to put the Turin side a point ahead of
the champions with seven games left.
"We need to remain focused and aggressive until the end,"
Juve boss Antonio Conte told reporters. "But we aren't at the
beginning of the season, we've acquired a new character and
awareness."
Milan meekly surrendered top spot after a late goal by
Fiorentina substitute Amauri, who flopped at Juve during their
wilderness years after a 2006 match-fixing demotion, gave the
lowly outfit the points at a scorching San Siro.
The Rossoneri fell apart having gone ahead through Zlatan
Ibrahimovic's 31st-minute penalty after a foul on strike partner
Maxi Lopez, who later hit the post.
Milan, who drew at Catania last weekend and were eliminated
from the Champions League by Barcelona in midweek, were pegged
back by Stevan Jovetic's goal on the break in the 47th and a
Philippe Mexes mistake let Amauri net the 89th-minute winner.
Not even the late substitute appearance of Antonio Cassano,
out for five months after a heart problem, could inspire Milan.
"We'll have to react with the personality of a great team
because nothing is lost," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said.
"It was a difficult game because of fatigue, the state of
the pitch and because Fiorentina did well. It's the first time
we've played in the afternoon for a long time, it was quite hot
today as well and the ball on the pitch was like a boulder."
INTER BLOW
Lazio consolidated third place and the Champions League
qualifying round berth after Stefano Mauri's stupendous strike
helped seal a 3-1 home win over Napoli as the hosts mourned the
recent passing of former striker Giorgio Chinaglia.
Antonio Candreva gave Lazio an early lead against coach Edy
Reja's former club but Goran Pandev netted on 34 minutes. The
Romans then took charge in the second half through Mauri's magic
and a Cristian Ledesma penalty.
Udinese are three points behind in fourth after a 3-1 win
over Parma while Napoli, in fifth, lie six adrift of Lazio.
Sixth-placed AS Roma suffered a major blow in the race for
the Champions League spot when they lost 4-2 at third-bottom
Lecce for whom Luis Muriel and David Di Michele scored twice.
Inter Milan's slim hopes of third were hit by a 2-2 draw
with Cagliari in Andrea Stramaccioni's second game in charge.
The match was played in the north-eastern city of Trieste
because of problems with the Sardinians' stadium but Cagliari
still felt at home and went ahead after five minutes through
Davide Astori.
Inter's Diego Milito replied immediately only for Mauricio
Pinilla to put the hosts back on top just past the hour before
being sent off for a second booking after excessive celebrating.
Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso soon levelled for
2010 European Cup winners Inter but their chances of Champions
League football next term are hanging by a thread as the
seventh-placed side sit nine points behind Lazio.
Europa League football may even be beyond them given that they
sit two points behind Roma, who are in the final berth.
Bottom side Cesena were held 0-0 by local rivals Bologna to
all but end their chances of survival while second-bottom Novara
drew 1-1 with Genoa, back with Alberto Malesani as coach.
European hopefuls Catania lost 3-2 at Chievo while mid-table
Siena won 2-1 at Atalanta.