Brazil playmaker Kaka scored his first goal since his return to AC Milan at the start of the season with a delightful curling shot, but his struggling team were still held 1-1 at home by SS Lazio in their Serie A game on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Second-placed SSC Napoli won 2-1 at ACF Fiorentina, who were furious after midfielder Juan Cuadrado was sent off after being booked twice for diving in the penalty area, with the second incident coming in stoppage-time.
Champions Juventus, helped by a trademark Andrea Pirlo free-kick, trounced Catania 4-0 to stay level on points with Napoli.
Photo: Reuters
Napoli and Juventus have 25 points from 10 games, two behind leaders AS Roma, who were to host AC Chievo Verona yesterday.
Kaka, back at the San Siro after four unhappy seasons with Real Madrid and recovered from a thigh injury he suffered in his first game with the Rossoneri, gave Milan the lead in the 54th minute.
Lazio replied with a goal from defender Michael Ciani, leaving Milan 10th on 12 points in the league.
Jose Callejon gave Napoli a 12th minute lead at Fiorentina when he volleyed in Gonzalo Higuain’s cross, but the hosts leveled with a penalty converted by Giuseppe Rossi — his ninth league goal of the season.
The spot-kick was awarded after Matias Fernandez went flying, a harsh decision hotly protested by the Napoli players.
Cuadrado hit the post for Fiorentina before Belgian Dries Mertens put the visitors back ahead in the 36th minute.
Fiorentina left the field fuming after they had three penalty appeals turned down after the break, two from Cuadrado and one by Rossi. The referee showed a yellow card for simulation each time.
Gokhan Inler seemed to make contact with Cuadrado in the last of the three incidents, although the Colombian exaggerated when he went down.
Arturo Vidal put Juventus ahead with a deflected shot, before Pirlo struck with a typically brilliant free-kick before halftime.
Carlos Tevez and Leonardo Bonucci added two more goals for Juve in the second half.
Elsewhere in Seria A, Alberto Gilardino made up for a second-minute penalty miss by scoring the winner as Genoa overcame Parma 1-0, while AS Livorno recovered from conceding two goals in the first eight minutes to draw 3-3 at home to Torino.
In Wednesday’s other games, Udinese beat US Sassuolo 2-1, Hellas Verona blanked UC Sampdoria 2-0 and Bologna routed Cagliari 3-0.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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