Milan stay clear
Milan striker Alexandre Pato celebrates his goal against Fiorentina during their Serie A encounter at the Artemio Franchi Stadium on Sunday.Photo: AFP
AC Milan earned a crucial 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Sunday to maintain their three point lead over Napoli, 2-0 winners at Bologna, at the top of Serie A.
Napoli had put the pressure on Milan with their victory earlier in the day but goals from Clarence Seedorf and Pato before half-time ensured Milan always had their destiny in their own hands before Juan Vargas's late reply.
With just six games left, Massimiliano Allegri's team are one step closer to a first title since 2004.
However, the returning Zlatan Ibrahimovic, having served a two-game ban, stupidly got himself sent off late on and will again be suspended.
Milan were always in control and after Artur Boruc had saved an early shot from Seedorf, the Dutchman gave the visitors an eighth minute lead.
Ibrahimovic tried to play him in but a covering defender half cleared only for Pato to head the ball back into the danger zone where Seedorf had been left free to volley home majestically.
Pato spurned a one-on-one with Boruc moments later while up the other end Christian Abbiati had to be alert to save an Adem Ljajic shot at his near post.
But four minutes from the break, Milan hit La Viola with a rapier counter-attack as Ibrahimovic released Kevin-Prince Boateng down the right and he crossed for Pato to have the simplest of finishes.
Already it appeared to be game over but it could have been worse for Fiorentina as Ibrahimovic slotted wide when bearing down on Boruc.
However, 11 minutes from time Vargas's shot from 25 yards deflected off substitute Gennaro Gattuso and beat Abbiati.
Earlier in the day Napoli had made light of the absence of top scorer Edinson Cavani as Giuseppe Mascara and a Marek Hamsik penalty secured three points.
In a largely low-key first half, Napoli virtually sealed the three points with the only two clear chances they created.
The first came on the half hour mark but was helped in no small part by Bologna goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
Cristian Maggio crossed from the right and Ezequiel Lavezzi tried a clever flicked finish between his legs that was rolling wide of the far post with two defenders covering when Viviano dived out and pushed the ball straight into the path of Mascara who shot home.
The second chance came on the stroke of half-time as Hamsik and Lavezzi both beat the offside trap, but, faced with a two-on-one against Viviano, they almost fluffed their lines.
Hamsik tried to draw the goalkeeper and set-up his strike-partner but he failed to make Viviano commit and his pass was too soft, giving the Bologna stopper a chance to close down the Argentine.
Lavezzi tried to take the ball around him and Viviano brought him down, with a relieved Hamsik smashing home the spot-kick.
Lazio moved back into the top four and the crucial final Champions League qualifying position with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Parma.
RESULTS
Juventus 3 (Rossi 50-og, Matri 63, Toni 83) Genoa 2 (Bonucci 7-og,
Floro Flores 57)
Bari 1 (Gazzi 33) Catania 1
(Maxi Lopez 44)
Bologna 0 Napoli 2 (Mascara 30, Hamsik 45-pen)
Cagliari 1 (Cossu 22) Brescia 1 (Caracciolo 61)
Lazio 2 (Hernanes 23,
Floccari 77) Parma 0
Palermo 2 (Kurtic 5, Pinilla 81) Cesena 2 (Parolo 90, Giaccherini 90)
Sampdoria 1 (Maccarone 69) Lecce 2 (Di Michele 39, Olivera 66)
Fiorentina 1 (Vargas 79) AC Milan 2 (Seedorf 8, Pato 41)
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