Milan rivals make merry

By Paolo Corradini

AC Milan are now just a point behind Serie A leaders Juventus FC after a 2-1 win at Parma FC while rivals FC Internazionale Milano beat FC Messina Peloro 5-0 despite having goalkeeper Francesco Toldo sent off.

Pirlo winner
Parma took the lead on 67 minutes when Alberto Gilardino rose unmarked to glance a header past Dida. However the visitors equalised in the 82nd minute when Kaká’s angled effort left Parma goalkeeper Sebastian Frey helpless. A minute from time Andrea Pirlo scored the decisive goal with a long-distance effort..

Adriano hat-trick
Inter were 3-0 ahead at half-time against Messina thanks to a hat-trick from Brazil striker Adriano. Despite Toldo's red card four minutes into the second half for a foul on Atsushi Yanagisawa, unbeaten Inter increased their lead shortly afterwards when Sinisa Mihajlovic’s free-kick deflected off the post and goalkeeper Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos into the net.

Carini save
Substitute Inter goalkeeper Fabian Carini, in his first Serie A game, saved a Nicola Amoruso penalty on 76 minutes and Vieri completed the scoring six minutes from time to take his club, who have now won three and drawn eleven of their 14 league games this season, up to fourth place. Juventus meet S.S. Lazio when the rest of the Serie A programme is played on Sunday.