Andrea Pirlo netted a rare but magnificent goal to give AC Milan a 1-0 win at Parma on Saturday and send them top of Serie A.
The Italy midfielder, who started his career as a second striker, but has dropped deeper and deeper in recent seasons, let fly from almost 40m on 26 minutes and the ball zoomed into the top corner of the net.
Milan moved onto to 11 points from six games ahead of champions Inter, on 10, who host rivals Juventus in the pick of this weekend’s matches.
Photo: AFP
“It’s our first win away from home,” captain Gennaro Gattuso said. “We are still a team that is rebuilding and there’s lots more to do.”
Massimiliano Allegri’s side were good value for their victory given an array of attacks and only poor finishing from forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho stopped them from extending their advantage in the first half.
Ibrahimovic, who has scored five goals in all competitions since his arrival from Barcelona, recovered from a minor knock to start, but often drifted to the left in the first half with Ronaldinho returning to the lineup just behind the front two.
The Brazilian, who normally operates on the left, went close twice in the second half, while Robinho again missed the target before being replaced by the fit-again Alexandre Pato.
Ibrahimovic famously scored twice for Inter at Parma’s Stadio Ennio Tardini in 2008 to secure the scudetto, but the Swede looked so comfortable in their rivals’ colors it is easy to forget his past allegiance.
Parma were quiet apart from a late onslaught, although former Milan forward Hernan Crespo had an early appeal for a penalty turned down after Alessandro Nesta’s challenge.
In the early game, Medhi Benatia scored deep into stoppage-time to seal bottom side Udinese’s first win of the season, 1-0 against Cesena.
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