Own goal nets AC Milan a victory

Nov 2, 2008 - 10:26 PM German Denis' late own goal gifted AC Milan a 1-0 victory at home to Napoli on Sunday night and sent it to the top of Serie A.

Denis headed Ronaldinho's free-kick into his own net with three minutes remaining - and just two minutes after Kaka had seen his penalty saved by Gennaro Iezzo.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Napoli who had looked like holding on for a point despite playing the entire second half with 10 men after the 44th-minute sending off of Cristian Maggio.

After losing its opening two games of the season, Milan have now won its last four - and conceded just one goal in their last six - to lead the standings by a point.

Napoli slipped to fourth, two points behind its opponents, with the loss.

Udinese are second, ahead of Internazionale on goal difference, after a fine performance by goalkeeper Samir Handanovic helped it earn a 2-2 draw against Genoa at the Stadio Friuli.

The hosts made the perfect start when Gaetano D'Agostino fired them in front from the penalty spot in the fourth minute.

Handanovic was in superb form to keep Genoa at bay, but was finally beaten shortly after the hour mark by Diego Milito's spot-kick and the visitors took the lead three minutes later thanks to substitute Giuseppe Sculli.

However, a Fabio Quagliarella volley in the 78th minute snatched a draw for Udinese.

On Saturday, Ivan Cordoba's late winner gave Inter a 3-2 win at Reggina.

The visitors had established a two-goal lead with first-half strikes from Sisenado Maicon and Patrick Vieira.

But the basement boys hit back with strikes from Francesco Cozza and Franco Brienza either side of halftime before Cordoba's intervention spared Inter's blushes.

Substitute Pasquale Foggia struck a late winner as Lazio claimed a 1-0 success over Catania to move up to fifth on Sunday.

Foggia converted a pass from Mauro Zarate with five minutes remaining as Lazio's incessant pressure finally told.

It had looked like turning into a frustrating afternoon for the Rome-based side as keeper Albano Bizzarri, aided by some last-ditch defending, kept them at bay.

Juventus is sixth after heaping yet more misery on beleaguered Roma with a 2-0 victory on Saturday.

Alessandro Del Piero scored a free-kick in the 38th minute before providing the second for Marco Marchionni three minutes into the second half.

Roma, last season's runners-up, is just one place and one point above the bottom three.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Cagliari romped to a 5-1 win over Bologna thanks to a brace apiece from Robert Acquafresca and Neves Capucho Jeda.

The Sicilians responded with a flurry of second-half goals after going a goal down to Marco Di Vaio's 18th-minute opener.

Acquafresca equalized on the stroke of halftime and Daniele Conti put Cagliari ahead three minutes into the second half, before Acquafresca again and a Jeda double sealed an emphatic win.

Palermo claimed a 3-0 win over Chievo, Fabrizio Miccoli with a penalty, Simon Kjaer and Edison Cavani settling the contest by halftime.

The hosts had Mark Bresciano dismissed in the 48th minute, but it did little to help Chievo, which remains in the bottom three.

Houssine Kharja scored 14 minutes from time to earn Siena a 1-0 win over Tuscan rivals Fiorentina and propel it away from the relegation zone.

Claudio Bellucci's 85th-minute effort gave Sampdoria a 1-0 win over Torino, which had earlier had a goal of its own ruled out.

Atalanta held Lecce to a goalless draw despite having Jaime Valdes sent-off midway through the second half.