Udinese hold Milan in eight-goal thriller at San Siro
Cavani hat-trick downs Juve
Milan and Udinese drew 4-4 at the San Siro yesterday in a thrilling game that will give hope to Milan’s title rivals.
Udinese led 3-1 at one stage and also moved into injury time with a 4-3 lead but Milan were rewarded for a never-say-die attitude that saw them snatch a share of the spoils.
Milan’s lead at the top of Serie A was cut to four points as Napoli thrashed Juventus 3-0 thanks to an Edinson Cavani hat-trick.
Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale scored a brace with Alexis Sanchez and German Denis also finding the net for the visitors.
But a Pato double, a Medhi Benatia own goal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s last-gasp leveller ensured the hosts avoided a second successive home defeat following their 1-0 reverse against Roma in December.
“Udinese played really well, they caused us problems, especially in the first half,” said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“After the break we were careless a few times but we did well to get a draw, I think the draw is fair. My lads played a great match particularly in terms of character.”
Cavani is now joint top of the Serie A scoring charts as Juve fell to their second three-goal defeat in a row following Thursday’s 4-1 reverse at home to Parma.
Cavani scored a pair of headers in the first half and made it a hat-trick with his head eight minutes after the break.
Napoli moved above Lazio who blew the chance to close the gap to Milan to three points as they lost 2-1 at home to Lecce, who started the day one off the bottom.
The visitors went ahead on 39 minutes when Jeda’s shot hit the post and went in off Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s back.
Lazio captain Stefano Mauri equalised from close range at the start of the second period but 20 minutes from time Carlos Grossmuller was left unmarked at the back post to score the winner.
Leonardo continued his winning start as Inter boss as his team came from behind to win 2-1 at Catania.
The hosts took a deserved lead when Alejandro Gomez mopped up the loose ball after Dejan Stankovic had headed Maxi Lopez’s goal-bound shot off the line.
That shocked Inter into life and Stankovic played in Esteban Cambiasso to finish coolly. And the Argentine scored his second when he headed home a cross from Maicon 11 minutes from time.
In the day’s early game, Sampdoria hurt Roma’s title chances as they also came from behind to win 2-1.
Mirko Vucinic gave Roma the lead but goalkeeper Julio Sergio was sent-off when conceding a penalty in bringing down Angelo Palombo after Juan’s woeful back pass.
Nicola Pozzi scored from the spot and then former Roma midfielder Stefano Guberti hit the winner after another uncharacteristic Juan error.
Serie A
Bari 0
Bologna 2
Ekdal 38; Di Vaio 69;
HT: 0-1. Att: 17,000.
Catania 1
Gomez 71;
Inter 2
Cambiasso 74, 79;
HT: 0-0. Att: 15,089.
Cesena 0
Genoa 0
Att: 13,857.
Chievo 0
Palermo 0
Att: 12,000.
Fiorentina 3
Gilardino 72; Santana 86; Ljajic 88;
Brescia 2
Diamanti 30; Cordova 45;
HT: 0-2. Att: 20,664.
Lazio 1
Mauri 48;
Lecce 2
Muslera 39 og; Grosmuller 72;
HT: 0-1. Att: 20,000.
Milan 4
Pato 45, 82; Benatia 78 og; Ibrahimovic 90;
Udinese 4
Di Natale 35, 66; Sanchez 53; Denis 89;
HT: 1-1. Att: 39,405.
Napoli 3
Cavani 20, 26, 53;
Juventus 0
HT: 2-0. Att: 60,000.
Parma 1
Giovinco 54;
Cagliari 2
Acquafresca 22, 32;
HT: 0-2. Att: 12,185.
Sampdoria 2
Pozzi 58 pen; Guberti 83;
Roma 1
Vucinic 17;
HT: 0-1. Att: 22,802.
Red cards: Sergio (R) 55; Lucchini (S) 86; Gastaldello (S) 90.
Next fixtures
Saturday: 18.00 Napoli vs Fiorentina; 20.45 Inter vs Bologna.
Sunday: 12.30 Cagliari vs Palermo. 15.00 Brescia vs Parma; Catania vs Chievo; Cesena vs Roma; Genoa vs Udinese; Juventus vs Bari; Lazio vs Sampdoria. 20.45 Lecce vs Milan.
Top scorers
13 goals: Di Natale (Udinese), Cavani (Napoli).
11 goals: Di Vaio (Bologna)
10 goals: Ibrahimovic (Milan)
Prima Divisione ‘A’
Alto Adige vs Gubbio 0-2; Paganese vs Pavia 1-1; Sorrento vs Pergocrema 4-0; Bassano vs Ravenna 2-0; Spezia vs Reggiana 2-0; Lumezzane vs Salernitana pp; Monza vs Spal 2-1; Como vs Verona 1-1.
Leading standings: Gubbio 40; Sorrento 37; Spal (-1) 32; Alessandria 31; Reggiana 27; Spezia 26; Alto Adige, Lumezzane (-1) 24; Ravenna, Bassano, Salernitana (-2) 23.
Prima Divisione ‘B’
Taranto vs Atletico Roma 0-1; Pisa vs Barletta 2-2; Lucchese vs Foggia 4-2; Andria vs Gela 4-1; Foligno vs Juve Stabia 1-1; Cavese vs Nocerina 0-2; Cosenza vs Ternana 1-1; Siracusa vs Viareggio 2-1; Benevento vs Lanciano 1-1.
Leading standings: Nocerina 44; Atl. Roma 37; Benevento 35; Juve Stabia, Lanciano 28; Siracusa 27; Taranto, Cosenza, Foggia (-1) 26; Ternana 23.