David Beckham marked his return to AC Milan with 76 effective minutes in a 5-2 rout of Genoa, helping the club rise to second in the Serie A on Wednesday.
Penalties from Ronaldinho and Klaas Jan Huntelaar, a brace by Marco Borriello and a strike by Thiago Silva gave Milan the win, while Giuseppe Sculli and David Suazo scored for Genoa.
Genoa took the lead in the 25th minute after Rodrigo Palacio’s right cross was nodded home by Sculli at the back post.
PHOTO: AFP
Ronaldinho thumped the ball low past Amelia to draw Milan level after the goalkeeper brought down Ambrosini to concede a penalty.
Five minutes later Milan took the lead when Andrea Pirlo crossed the ball to Ronaldinho whose header was cleared off the line before Silva slotted in the rebound.
Milan grabbed the third soon after half-time. Ronaldinho put Antonini clear behind Genoa’s defense and he cut the ball back for Borriello to score. The former Genoa striker grabbed his second of the match when he volleyed home Pirlo’s cross.
In the 74th, Marco Rossi brought down Ronaldinho, leaving substitute Huntelaar to fire home Milan’s fifth goal from the spot.
With 11 minutes remaining, Suazo scored Genoa’s second.
Inter remained top of the standings thanks to Mario Balotelli’s early goal in a 1-0 win over Chievo Verona. The striker linked up with Goran Pandev and Wesley Sneijder in the 12th minute to score.
Juventus are third after beating Parma 2-1 but finished the match with 10 men after Martin Caceres was sent off.
Hasan Salihamidzic scored for Juventus in the third minute before Nicola Amoruso equalized in the 25th.
In the 39th, Paolo Castellini scored an own-goal to give Juventus the win.
Roma drew 2-2 with Cagliari, with David Pizarro and Simone Perrotta scoring for Roma before Sergio Lopez and Daniele Conti scored in injury time.
Also, it was: Atalanta 0, Napoli 2; Bari 2, Udinese 0; Catania 1, Bologna 0; Lazio 4, Livorno 1; Sampdoria 1, Palermo 1; and Siena 1, Fiorentina 5.
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