Champions AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Lazio at the San Siro to kick off the new Serie A season last night following the player strike that postponed the original start two weeks ago.
Miroslav Klose and Djibril Cisse both scored on their Lazio league debuts to give the visitors a dream start but Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano struck back to snatch a point for the hosts.
Lazio proved their summer spending has improved their forward line and could be contenders while Milan showed through their fightback that they’re not going to give up their title easily.
Lazio coach Edy Reja had vowed to attack Milan and he stayed true to his word as his new strike force tore them apart early on.
Milan had an early chance when Ibrahimovic played in Alberto Aquilani, who skipped past an astonishingly feeble challenge from Andre Dias but Albano Bizzarri was out quickly to block his shot.
Lazio went ahead on 12 minutes when Stefano Mauri crossed for Klose, who brilliantly beat Alessandro Nesta before he finished crisply with his left.
Cisse then pounced on a mix-up between Gennaro Gattuso and Nesta but after Christian Abbiati parried his fierce shot.
Lazio didn’t have to wait long for their second, though, as on 21 minutes Mauri was given time to swing in a cross and Cisse, running across the backline, got ahead of Nesta to flick a header beyond Abbiati.
The visitors were full of verve, panache, energy and desire up front but they proved vulnerable at the back as Milan’s own forwards started coming into the game.
On 29 minutes Aquilani played the ball down the inside right channel to Cassano, who teed up Ibrahimovic for a simple tap-in.
Kevin-Prince Boateng almost surprised Bizzarri at his near post but from the resulting corner Cassano held off his marker to head home on 33 minutes.
By the start of the second period Lazio’s bright start had lost its steam.
Cassano had a good early chance but shot just wide of the far post and he came even closer just past the hour mark as he hit the upright.
That sparked Lazio back into life and Cisse scampered through the middle to dink the ball past Abbiati but a dogged Nesta got back in time to hack the ball behind for a corner.
Fixtures
Serie A
Played yesterday
Milan 2
Ibrahimovic 29; Cassano 33;
Lazio 2
Klose 12; Cisse 21;
Today
Cesena vs Napoli - 20.45
Tomorrow – 15.00
Catania vs Siena
Chievo vs Novara
Fiorentina vs Bologna
Genoa vs Atalanta
Juventus vs Parma - 12.30
Lecce vs Udinese
Palermo vs Inter - 20.45
Roma vs Cagliari
Serie B
Played yesterday
Padova vs Bari - 1-0
Playing today – 15.30
AlbinoLeffe vs Modena
Grosseto vs Verona
Gubbio vs Reggina
Juve Stabia vs Brescia
Nocerina vs Ascoli
Pescara vs Crotone
Sassuolo vs Cittadella
Varese vs Livorno - 18.00
Playing on Monday
Empoli vs Sampdoria - 20.45
Vicenza vs Torino - 20.45
Standings: Padova 10; Brescia, Torino 7; Sassuolo, Pescara, Verona 6; Samp-doria, Grosseto 5; Reggina, AlbinoLeffe, Nocerina, Bari, Livorno, Cittadella 4; Empoli, Modena 3; Varese 2; Crotone (-1), Vicenza 1; Juve Stabia (-1), Gubbio 0; Ascoli (-7) -3.