Ronaldo was the inspiration as AC Milan ended their dismal winless home run with a 5-2 victory over Napoli on a dream night at the San Siro on Sunday.
Ronaldo was playing only his second match of an injury-plagued season but scored a brace as he partnered debutant teenage sensation Pato in a new-look Brazilian attack that included world player of the year Kaka.
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti finally got the firepower that has been missing from the team at home in the league this season, as Pato and Kaka also got their names on the scoresheet.
In their previous seven matches -- five draws and two defeats -- Milan managed just three goals, but they had doubled that tally 30 seconds into the second half against Napoli.
Ronaldo gave the hosts the lead on the quarter hour, latching onto Andrea Pirlo's clever through ball to fire home off goalkeeper Gennaro Iezzo's legs.
Milan were dominating but Napoli were dangerous on the counterattack and soon levelled through Roberto Sosa, who converted fellow Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi's right wing cross.
Ronaldo then tried to turn provider, twice teeing up Pato with just Iezzo to beat but the keeper denied him both times before Clarence Seedorf smashed home the follow-up.
Maurizio Domizzi then leveled from the spot after Georgia center back Kakha Kaladze's clumsy challenge on Lavezzi in the box, sending the teams in at halftime all square.
But just after the restart Seedorf picked out Ronaldo to head home from close in.
Kaka scored midway through the second half with a crisp shot from the edge of the box and minutes later Pato opened his account after racing clear and finally beating Iezzo in a one-on-one.
Elsewhere, Francesco Totti and Alessandro Mancini fired a goal apiece to rally Roma and grab a 2-1 victory at Atalanta that keeps their title hopes alive.
Things looked desperate in Atalanta for Roma when Adriano Pinto put the hosts ahead on 17 minutes.
But Totti rifled home a free kick under a jumping wall on 38 minutes and Mancini's rasping drive on the stroke of halftime proved enough to secure three vital points.
Champions and leaders Inter Milan cruised to a 3-2 win at lowly Siena and when Roma fell a goal behind, it looked as if the title race could be over.
Instead the capital-based club pegged Inter's lead at the top to seven points.
Inter's Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace, including one from the spot, and Esteban Cambiasso added the other as the unbeaten leaders won for the 14th time in 18 league matches this season.
In the race for Champions League places, fourth-placed Udinese kept their noses in front after a solid 1-0 win at Cagliari while Fiorentina triumphed 2-1 in Parma.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care