Di Michele leads Reggina to safety

Reggina Calcio secured their Serie A future with an astonishing 2-1 victory at home against AC Milan in their penultimate game of the season on Sunday.

Safety secured
A sixth-minute goal from David Di Michele was followed by a 29th-minute Francesco Cozza penalty as Reggina, without a home win since January, inflicted Milan's first defeat in 13 games and only their second of the season to manoeuvre themselves four points clear of the relegation zone with one game remaining. Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko kept the crowd fixated by halving the deficit in the second half to take his season-long tally to 23 goals, one fewer than he scored when he topped the Serie A scoring charts in 1999/2000.
 
Relegation decider
AC Siena also secured their top-flight safety by defeating Modena FC 3-1 at the Alberto Braglia. Siena came into the game with just one point from their last five games but took the lead five minutes before half-time through Rodrigo Taddei's strike and looked comfortable once Modena's Mauro Mayer had been sent off on the hour mark. Taddei scored again before Massimo Marazzina and Enrico Chiesa traded late strikes as Modena slipped closer to bowing out of Serie A after just two seasons.

Victory in vain
Empoli FC's surprise 2-1 defeat at Ancona Calcio, who tasted victory for only the second time this season, curtailed their recent revival and could condemn them to the drop. But AC Perugia kept alive their slim hopes of avoiding the drop by defeating Fabio Capello's AS Roma 3-1. Fabrizio Ravanelli scored his fourth goal in as many games to seal Perugia's win, hot on the heels of success against Juventus FC last weekend.

Inter go fourth
At the other end of the table, FC Internazionale put themselves in pole position to claim the fourth and final UEFA Champions League qualification berth with a 1-0 win at home against closest challengers Parma AC. Adriano's 14th goal of the season did the damage on the hour to sink Parma, who had Manuele Blasi dismissed for a second booking ten minutes from time.

Baggio brilliance
S.S. Lazio missed the chance to move level on points with Inter when they lost 2-1 at the hands of Brescia Calcio. Stefano Mauri put the home side ahead and although Cesar scored a late consolation, Roberto Baggio, playing his last game infront of the Brescia crowd, had already brought the house down with an 88th-minute goal - his 12th of the season. Baggio will make his final bow next weekend at the San Siro, where he won the scudetto with Milan in 1996.

Six unbeaten
Elsewhere, Lazio's Coppa Italia opponents Juventus shaped up for the showpiece's second leg on Wednesday with a 2-0 home win against UC Sampdoria, Udinese Calcio took their unbeaten home run to six games with a 1-1 draw against AC Chievo Verona and Bologna FC drew 1-1 with US Lecce at the Renato Dall'Ara.

Final-day fixtures
Only one of Perugia, Empoli and Modena will avoid automatic relegation, with the 15th-placed side going into a play-off with the sixth-placed club in Serie B. The final week of fixtures see Modena, on 30 points, travel to Lazio, Perugia, on 29, take on relegated Ancona at home and Empoli, also on 30, welcome fourth-place chasing Inter to the Carlo Castellani.