Milan respond to Napoli gambit
Sunday, April 10, 2011
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AC Milan overcame a late response from ACF Fiorentina and the sending-off of Zlatan Ibrahimović to earn a 2-1 victory and stay three points clear of SSC Napoli, who triumphed earlier in the day.
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AC Milan maintained their three-point lead over SSC Napoli as the Serie A leaders responded to their pursuers' 2-0 win at Bologna FC by edging out ACF Fiorentina 2-1.
Fresh from their Milan derby success last weekend, the Rossoneri took an eighth-minute lead through Clarence Seedorf and extended it before the interval when Pato rounded off a flowing counterattack. Juan Vargas set up an intriguing finish by halving the deficit with 11 minutes left and Zlatan Ibrahimović's late dismissal added to the tension.
Napoli had earlier seen off Bologna courtesy of Giuseppe Mascara's opener and Marek Hamšík's penalty before the break, moving back ahead of FC Internazionale Milano, who beat AC Chievo Verona 2-0 on Saturday. S.S. Lazio overtook Udinese Calcio for fourth place with a 2-0 home triumph against Parma FC. Substitute Luca Toni scored an 83rd-minute winner for Juventus in the 3-2 success against Genoa CFC, the visitors having led twice.
US Lecce rose three points clear of the relegation zone and leapfrogged UC Sampdoria by overcoming them 2-1. Third-bottom AC Cesena staged a remarkable recovery in their 2-2 draw at US Città di Palermo, back under Delio Rossi, scoring twice in second-half added time with only ten men to level and having two further players on the bench dismissed. The bottom two – Brescia Calcio and AS Bari – also earned draws.
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