Oct 5, 2008 - 4:56 PM
0 shoutsAC Milan missed the chance to join a group of three at the top of the Serie A table after they were held to a goalless draw at bottom-feeder Cagliari on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Udinese defeated Torino 2-0 thanks to two goals from Italian striker Fabio Quagliarella to join Internazionale and Lazio at the top of the standings with 13 points.
Carlo Ancelotti's side had won their previous three league matches and looked likely to go level at the summit following Sunday's late game as they travelled to a Cagliari side who had failed to secure a point this season.
But the Sardinians held firm, and even had the best chance of the game with Joaquin Lazzari shooting wide in the first half, to leave their more-fancied rivals in eighth place going into the international break.
Udinese's win against Torino capped a good week for the club after they won through to the group stage of the UEFA Cup on Thursday after seeing off German side Borussia Dortmund on penalties.
Palermo continue to impress under new boss Davide Ballardini and are now just a point off the leaders after they posted a win away to 10-man Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ballardini took over as boss of the Rosaneri last month and has since seen his side claim four wins in five games.
His latest triumph was sealed by a goal from teenage Georgia international Levan Mchedlidze nine minutes from time after Juve, who were reduced to 10 men following Mohammed Sissoko's dismissal after 41 minutes, looked like they might hold on for a point.
A stunning Alessandro Del Piero free-kick after 38 minutes had cancelled out Fabrizio Miccoli's earlier strike, but the game turned again three minutes later when Sissoko was given his marching orders for his second bookable offense.
The defeat drops the Old Lady into the bottom half of the table, where last season's runners' up Roma also find themselves after a 1-0 defeat at Siena.
Mario Frick's first-half strike was all that separated the two sides, while Giallorossi defenders Philippe Mexes and Christian Panucci both saw red in the second half.
Fiorentina picked up their first away points of the season with a 2-0 victory over new boys Chievo, who had Francesco Scardina sent off after 37 minutes.
Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Alberto Gilardino scored either side of half-time as La Viola finally found their form on the road to move up to ninth.
Sampdoria remained in 17th place as they lost 4-2 to in-form Atalanta, who move up to fifth, at the Stadio Azzurri D'Italia.
Antonio Cassano fired the visitors into the lead inside the first 10 minutes but the team from Bergamo hit back with goals from Sergio Floccari and Gyorgy Garics ensuring a half-time lead.
Cassano pulled Samp level from the penalty spot nine minutes after the restart only for a further strike by Floccari to put the hosts back in control.
Samp's task became all but impossible when they lost Pietro Accardi and Daniele Dessena to red cards in the space of nine minutes, while Cristiano Doni killed the game off when he netted the fourth for Luigi Del Neri's troops after 83 minutes.
Nine-man Genoa edged out Napoli 3-2 in a thriller at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Ezequiel Lavezzi put Napoli ahead after just 26 seconds but the home side levelled through Sokratis Papastathopoulos on the stroke of half-time before going ahead through Raffaele Palladino's effort after 52 minutes.
Three minutes later Genoa lost their captain Marco Rossi for a professional foul on Lavezzi, but they nevertheless extended their lead to 3-1 when summer signing Diego Milito netted 17 minutes from time.
German Denis brought Napoli back into the game just two minutes later but the visitors failed to grab an equaliser - even after the hosts were reduced to nine when Papastathopoulos was shown a second yellow card in the final minute.
Reggina claimed only their second point of the season as they battled to a deserved 1-1 draw against high-flying Catania, whose poor form on their travels continues.
Michele Paolucci gave the visitors the lead in the 69th minute but the youngster went from hero to villain just three minutes later when he was sent off for a second bookable offense.
Reggina made the most of the man advantage and Andrea Costa scored 10 minutes from time.
