Filippo Inzaghi racked up 300 career goals as the veteran striker bagged a brace in AC Milan's 5-1 stroll at Siena on Sunday that boosted their quest to secure third place in Serie A.
Inter maintained their seven-point lead over Juventus at the top as they defeated Fiorentina 2-0 at the San Siro thanks to two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
AS Roma? bid to earn a top four spot, and the final Champions League qualifying berth, took a knock as their injury-ravaged side was held 2-2 at Sampdoria.
PHOTO: AP
But in the picturesque city of Siena it was Inzaghi's day as the 35-year-old took his tally to five goals in his last two matches.
It also took him to fourth on the all-time list of Italian goalscorers, headed by Silvio Piola with 364 goals from a 25-year career from 1929 to 1954.
?oday I'm celebrating an achievement that fills me full of pride,?Inzaghi said. ?estiny is an incredible thing, because my first goal was for Leffe and I also scored it away to Siena and today I've reached this 300 milestone again against Siena.?br />
Andrea Pirlo scored from the spot and Pato added two more while Massimo Maccarone scored Siena? consolation.
As well as taking home three points, Milan also saw the return to action of Brazilians Kaka and Ronaldinho following injury.
There was one negative, though, as goalkeeper Christian Abbiati was stretchered off in the first half with suspected knee ligament damage that could see him sidelined for six months.
Milan's first goal came when Houssine Kharja fouled French midfielder Mathieu Flamini in the area with Pirlo stroking home the penalty. It was a veteran pair who combined for Milan's second just before the break as David Beckham swung over a corner that Inzaghi tapped home at the back post.
Any uncertainty over the result was ended by teenage Brazilian Pato, who scored with a long drive 10 minutes after the break.
After Maccarone pulled a goal back, Inzaghi latched on to a delightful pass from Pirlo to fire home at the near post on 71 minutes before Pato added the fifth, 12 minutes from time.
Fiorentina came close to breaking the deadlock in Milan when Alberto Gilardino teed up Adrian Mutu, but the Romania captain shot straight at Julio Cesar's legs. They were made to pay on 11 minutes when goalkeeper Sebastien Frey tried to punch clear a Mario Balotelli free-kick, but he pushed the ball into Ibra虐i衫o赳ic, who reacted quickest to nod home the rebound.
Gilardino brought a fine save out of Julio Cesar with a clever flick and after the break Mutu squandered another excellent opportunity by neither shooting nor crossing to Gilardino but dragging the ball well wide of the far post.
But Ibrahimovic settled things four minutes into stoppage time with a rocket of a free-kick from 30 yards that left Frey with no chance as Inter rebounded from their midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United.
Italian Serie A
| ?/td>
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
1 | Inter? | 28 | 30 | 66 |
2 | Juventus?/div> | 28 | 25 | 59 |
3 | AC Milan?/div> | 28 | 23 | 54 |
4 | Genoa?/div> | 28 | 10 | 48 |
5 | Fiorentina?/div> | 28 | 9 | 46 |
6 | Roma?/div> | 28 | 6 | 46 |
7 | Palermo?/div> | 28 | 2 | 42 |
8 | Lazio?/div> | 28 | -1 | 41 |
9 | Atalanta?/div> | 28 | 1 | 39 |
10 | Cagliari?/div> | 28 | 4 | 39 |
11 | Udinese?/div> | 28 | -1 | 36 |
12 | Napoli?/div> | 28 | 0 | 36 |
13 | Catania?/div> | 28 | -5 | 34 |
14 | Sampdoria?/div> | 28 | -7 | 33 |
15 | Siena?/div> | 28 | -8 | 31 |
16 | Chievo?/div> | 28 | -12 | 27 |
17 | Bologna?/div> | 28 | -15 | 26 |
18 | Torino?/div> | 28 | -17 | 24 |
19 | Lecce?/div> | 28 | -22 | 23 |
20 | Reggina?/div> | 28 | -23 | 20 |
?/p>
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