Milan ended a chaotic week with a 3-1 win at bottom club Catania yesterday amid a flurry of dramatic finishes in Serie A where three top matches produced goals in the dying seconds.
Fernando Llorente headed home in added time to give leaders Juventus a 1-0 win over Udinese and second-placed Roma salvaged their unbeaten record when Kevin Strootman scored a 90th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Atalanta.
Fourth-placed Inter were on the wrong end of a late goal when Renan’s 89th minute strike for Sampdoria pegged them back to a 1-1 draw in front of new chairman Erik Thohir who was watching his first game at San Siro.
Juventus, who chalked up their sixth consecutive league win and clean sheet, extended their lead to three points over Roma who, after winning their first 10 games, have drawn their last four.
The defending champions have 37 points from 14 games with Roma on 34 and Napoli, who visit Lazio tonight, in third place with 28.
Juventus were watched by more than 12,000 schoolchildren who occupied the Curva Nord and Curva Sud areas behind the goals, closed to the ultras because of anti-Naples chanting at previous matches.
Playmaker Andrea Pirlo went off injured after only 14 minutes and Juventus were saved in the second half when goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon produced a stunning reaction save to keep out Antonio Di Natale’s effort from point-blank range.
There was an element of luck about their winner as Stephan Lichtsteiner’s shot appearing to be going wide until Llorente managed to divert it into the net.
Milan’s first away win in Serie A this season ended a winless five-match run in the league, although they had to come from behind
Catania stunned Milan when Lucas Castro scored with a shot which deflected off Daniel Bonera’s back in the 13th minute but Riccardo Montolivo levelled six minutes later for the injury-plagued visitors.
Mario Balotelli missed a free header on the hour but atoned three minutes later when he blasted a low free kick through the Catania wall to put Milan ahead.
Kaka made the game safe when he broke down the right and lashed a right-foot shot into the roof of the net with nine minutes left.
Catania had Panagiotis Tachtsidis sent off for a wild lunge at Balotelli, who shortly afterwards was also involved in a furious row with Nicolas Spolli, angrily pointing his finger at the Argentine before being restrained by his team mates.
Milan endured a troubled week off the field with chief executive Adriano Galliani announcing angrily on Friday that he was resigning after nearly 28 years at the club.
On Saturday, he changed his mind and agreed to stay on, sharing his role with club president Silvio Berlusconi’s daughter Barbara.
Roma fell behind when Davide Brivio’s free kick found its way under the wall and caught Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis napping.
They were saved when Adem Ljajic got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Strootman to score.
Fredy Guarin gave Inter a first-half lead, only for Renan to level for Sampdoria who have drawn both their games under new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.
Serie A
Atalanta 1
Brivio 51;
Roma 1
Strootman 90;
HT: 0-0; Att.: 14,000.
Cagliari 2
Nene 73; Sau 87;
Sassuolo 2
Marzoratti 14; Zaza 20;
HT: 0-2; Att.: 6,500.
Catania 1
Castro 13;
Milan 3
Montolivo 19; Mario Balotelli 63; Kaka 81;
HT: 1-1; Att.: 13,000.
Red card: Tachtsidis (C) 64.
Chievo 3
Rigoni 36; Thereau 56; Paloschi 79;
Livorno 0
HT: 1-0; Att.: 12,000.
Inter 1
Guarin 18;
Sampdoria 1
Renan 89;
HT: 1-0; Att.: 48,000.
Juventus 1
Llorente 90;
Udinese 0
HT: 0-0; Att.: 38,000.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 37 |
| Roma | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 34 |
| Napoli | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 12 | 28 |
| Inter | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 31 | 14 | 27 |
| Fiorentina | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 24 |
| Verona | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 22 |
| Genoa | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 19 |
| Lazio | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Milan | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 17 |
| Parma | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 21 | 17 |
| Atalanta | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 17 |
| Torino | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 23 | 16 |
| Udinese | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 16 |
| Cagliari | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 15 |
| Sassuolo | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 30 | 14 |
| Chievo | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 18 | 12 |
| Bologna | 14 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 26 | 12 |
| Livorno | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 12 |
| Sampdoria | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 11 |
| Catania | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 9 |
Playing today
Fiorentina vs Verona - 19.00
Lazio vs Napoli - 21.00
Next fixtures
Friday: 20.45 Bologna vs Juventus.
Saturday: 18.00 Livorno vs Milan; 20.45 Napoli vs Udinese.
Sunday: 12.30 Roma vs Fiorentina. 15.00 Cagliari vs Genoa; Verona vs Atalanta; Sampdoria vs Catania; Sassuolo vs Chievo; Torino vs Lazio. 20.45 Inter vs Parma.
Top scorers
11 goals: Rossi (Fiorentina)
8 goals: Cerci (Torino)
7 goals: Palacio (Inter), Tevez (Juventus), Berardi (Sassuolo).
Prima Divisione ‘A’
Como vs Venezia - 2-0
Cremonese vs Carrarese - 2-2
Pro Vercelli vs Vicenza - 1-1
Pro Patria vs Entella - 1-1
Reggiana vs Lumezzane - 2-2
San Marino vs FeralpiSalo - 0-3
Savona vs SudTirol - 3-1
Leading standings: V. Entella 28; Pro Vercelli 26; Savona 22; Cremonese 20; Como, Vicenza 18; Venezia 17.
Prima Divisione ‘B’
Ascoli vs Prato - 1-1
Barletta vs Ponteder - app
Catanzaro vs Benevento - 0-0
Lecce vs Grosseto - 1-0
Pisa vs Salernitana - 0-0
Viareggio vs Perugia - 0-2
Leading standings: Perugia 25; Pisa, L’Aquila 24; Frosinone 23; Catanzaro, Pontedera 21; Prato, Salernitana 20.