Milan beat Parma 4-3 to go second in Italy (Reuters) Updated: 2006-01-09 09:03
ROME (Reuters) - Three goals in nine first half minutes helped AC Milan come
from behind to beat Parma 4-3 and climb to second in Serie A behind Juventus on
Sunday.
The win gave Milan 40 points from 18 matches, one point ahead of
city rivals Inter who could only manage a goalless draw with Siena. Champions
Juventus still comfortably lead the division on 49 points after a 2-1 defeat of
Palermo on Saturday.
AC Milan's Andriy
Shevchenko control the ball during their Italian Serie A soccer match
against Parma at the San Siro Stadium in Milan,northern Italy January 8,
2006. [Reuters] | In the early stages at the
San Siro, the visitors were pressed back into their own half and Milan strikers
Andriy Shevchenko and Alberto Gilardino both narrowly missed the target.
It was Parma, however, who took the lead in the 24th minute courtesy of a
howler by Milan keeper Dida, who fumbled a corner leaving Paolo Cannavaro the
easiest of tap-ins.
Milan hit back with three goals in nine minutes, starting in the 27th minute
when Parma defender Giuseppe Cardone deflected Kaka's low cross past his own
keeper.
Gilardino then put Milan ahead. The 23-year-old Italy international, who
moved to Milan from Parma during the close season, headed a Shevchenko cross
past keeper Matteo Guardalben.
Kaka grabbed their third, taking advantage of a poor clearance to beat
Guardalben from the edge of the area.
Parma showed flashes of class and Marco Marchionni pulled a goal back in the
70th minute but a poacher's goal by Shevchenko restored Milan's two-goal
cushion.
Marchionni dribbled through the Milan defence to grab his second goal of the
match five minutes from time, but it was too little, too late.
The win meant Milan leapfrogged above Inter, who failed to capitalise on a
series of scoring chances in their 0-0 draw in Siena.
Inter had racked up six consecutive wins leading up to the winter break were
looking to extend their run at Siena's Franchi stadium against a side that had
lost more games than they had won at home this season.
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