Dream start for Balotelli

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli celebrates one of his two goals against Udinese during their Serie A encounter at San Siro on Sunday.Photo: AFP

Mario Balotelli scored a brace on his debut, including a controversial late penalty, to secure a precious 2-1 win for AC Milan over Udinese on Sunday and move the resurgent Rossoneri up to fourth place in Serie A.
Champions Juventus remain top after restoring their three-point lead over Napoli, 2-0 winners at home Saturday against Catania, thanks to a 2-1 win away to Chievo.
Lazio's third place, however, is now under threat after a 3-2 reverse at Genoa which left Vladimir Petkovic's side only three points ahead of Milan and Inter Milan, with Fiorentina, in sixth, a further point off the pace.
As Inter dropped more points in a shock 3-1 defeat away to Siena, city rivals Milan stole the limelight thanks to a Balotelli double on what was the 22-year-old's debut following his transfer from Manchester City in midweek.
Balotelli, a former Inter Milan player, told the media on his presentation Friday evening he had come to Milan "to help the club win trophies".
After seeing a drive whiz just past the post on 35 seconds it took him just 25 minutes to show fans of his intentions when he latched on to a through ball to smash the ball past Daniele Padelli in the Udinese goal.
Udinese pulled level in the 55th minute when Giampero Pinzi beat Marco Amelia in the Milan goal after being set up by Colombian Luis Muriel.
However, Balotelli made sure of all three points in the fourth minute of injury time when he beat Padelli from the spot after the referee deemed Thomas Heurtaux's challenge on Stephan El Shaarawy to be a foul.
"It's a great feeling to score, but I have to keep on going," Balotelli told Sky Sport.
"I'm very happy despite the fact I'm just getting over what has been a difficult period. I didn't play a lot (at City) and I could feel it in my legs. But tonight I was relaxed and I was ready."
The win will send shivers through the Nerazzurri side of Milan, especially in light of Inter's shock defeat to Siena.
In four minutes of first-half madness, Nigerian-born Swiss international Innocent Emeghara put the home side in front on 21 minutes before Antonio Cassano swiftly equalised, only for Alessio Sestu to restore Siena's lead on 24 minutes.
Alessandro Rosina then made the points safe with a 55th minute penalty that lifted Siena off the foot of the table above Palermo, who suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Atalanta thanks to goals from Chilean midfielder Carlos Carmona and Argentine German Denis. In Verona, former France international Nicolas Anelka, a recent signing from Shanghai Shenhua, had barely taken his seat on the bench when Antonio Conte's side took a 10th-minute lead through Alessandro Matri, who cracked in a superb volley after good work from Arturo Vidal.

RESULTS
Palermo 1 (Nelson 83) Atalanta 2
(Carmona 54, Denis 71)
Pescara 2 (Weiss 30-pen, G. D'Agostino 45-pen) Bologna 3 (Diamanti 34-pen, Gilardino 50, Kone 66)
Siena 3 (Emeghara 21, Sestu 24, Rosina 55-pen)
Inter Milan 1 (Cassano 22)
Genoa 3 (Borriello 16, Bertolacci 22, Rigoni 90+5) Lazio 2 (Floccari 58, Mauri 82-pen)
Fiorentina 2 (Toni 27, Jovetic 50) Parma 0
AC Milan 2 (Balotelli 25, 90+4-pen)
Udinese 1 (Pinzi 55)