Totti strikes twice as Roma upset Milan

Roma's bid for the Serie A title gathered momentum when Francesco Totti scored twice to give them a 2-1 win over Milan last night.

The Roma captain struck first in the sixth minute when he volleyed crisply past Milan keeper Dida.

Cristian Brocchi equalised early in the second half but in the 82nd minute Totti grabbed the winner.

Roma's victory - their first away win against Milan in Serie A for 19 years - gave them 23 points from 11 matches, one point behind joint leaders Inter and Palermo, who play Parma and Torino respectively today.

Milan's fourth defeat in five matches left them stranded in 16th place in the 20-team division with seven points, after they began the season with an eight-point penalty for being implicated in a match-fixing scandal.

Defeat seemed particularly harsh for Milan, who played one of their liveliest league matches of the season.

They did not make the ideal start. A short clearance by Alessandro Nesta allowed Rodrigo Taddei to clip the ball over the defence to Totti, who spun and volleyed past Dida.

Gradually, however, Milan worked their way into the match and it was one of Milan's foot soldiers, Brocchi who pulled them level, picking up the ball just outside the area before firing home in the 56th minute.

Roma's winner came on the break. Alberto Aquilani picked out Mancini free on the left of Milan's area and the Brazilian winger's cross dropped perfectly for Totti to head into the net.

Earlier, Fiorentina striker Giampaolo Pazzini scored two late goals as his side came from behind to beat Atalanta 3-1.

Playing today - 3 p.m.
Ascoli vs Empoli
Catania vs Livorno
Lazio vs Udinese
Messina vs Cagliari
Palermo vs Torino
Parma vs Inter 8.30 p.m.
Sampdoria vs Chievo
Siena vs Reggina