Amauri stuns Milan
Fiorentina forward Amauri (R) celebrates his 88th minute winning goal against AC Milan during their Serie A encounter at San Siro yesterday. Photo: AFP
Amauri scored a dramatic late winner to fire struggling Fiorentina to a 2-1 win at AC Milan on Saturday and boost his former club Juventus's title hopes.
The Brazilian-born Italy international's goal ruined Antonio Cassano's return to first team action following heart surgery.
Cassano had not played since October after falling ill following a match at Roma.
He had suffered a minor stroke and needed an operation to fix a heart defect.
But his entry late on did little to inspire a reaction from an out-of-sorts Milan.
The hosts had been gifted the opener when Matija Nastasic was harshly adjudged to have fouled Maxi Lopez in the box.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic stroked home the spot-kick and Maxi Lopez later hit the post as Milan threatened to run away with the match.
But Fiorentina stuck doggedly to their task and equalised when Lorenzo Di Silvestri played Stevan Jovetic in behind the backline and the Montenegro playmaker beat goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
And Amauri struck a minute from time following a Philippe Mexes mistake, playing a one-two with Jovetic before clipping the ball home.
Fiorentina boosted their own survival hopes, moving up two places to 15th and maintaining a five-point gap to the drop zone.
Udinese moved up into a Champions League qualifying position with a 3-1 win over Parma.
Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time as he arrived late into the box to shoot home from the penalty spot.
Captain Antonio Di Natale added the second on 56 minutes as he controlled a cross at the back post before lashing home on the volley.
Alessandro Lucarelli pulled a goal back six minutes from time after Asamoah failed to clear a corner.
But the Ghanaian added his second in stoppage time in almost identical fashion to his first.
The northerners are now level on points with Lazio, who previously held third spot, ahead of the Romans' evening clash with Napoli.
Roma's Champions League qualification hopes hit a bump in Puglia as they were thrashed 4-2 by lowly Lecce.
Colombian Luis Muriel and former West Ham forward Daniel Di Michele both scored a brace as Lecce boosted their survival hopes.
Roma scored two consolation goals in the last two minutes through Bojan Krkic and Erik Lamela.
RESULTS
Atalanta 1 (Schelotto 9) Siena 2 (Larrondo 13-pen, Destro 90)
Cagliari 2 (Astori 5, Pinilla 61) Inter Milan 2 (Milito 6, Cambiasso 64)
Cesena 0 Bologna 0
Chievo 3 (Bradley 6, Pellissier 20-pen, Paloschi 50) Catania 2 (Andreolli 32-og, Almiron 85)
Lecce 4 (Muriel 22, 49, Di Michele 44, 56-pen) Roma 2 (Bojan 88, Lamela 90)
AC Milan 1 (Ibrahimovic 31-pen) Fiorentina 2 (Jovetic 47, Amauri 89)
Novara 1 (Mascara 68) Genoa 1 (Palacio 7)
Udinese 3 (Asamoah 45, 90, Di Natale 56) Parma 1 (Lucarelli 84)
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