Ibrahimovic brace sends champions top

ROME (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace as AC Milan downed Roma 3-2 in the capital’s Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to send the rossoneri top of Serie A for the first time this season.

Alessandro Nesta scored the other goal for the champions, who could lose top spot later this weekend if any of Juventus, Udinese and Lazio win, while Nicolas Burdisso and Bojan Krkic netted for Roma.

“That’s three fundamental points. We played really well and with a bit of luck it could have finished 4-1 or 5-1,” said Ibrahimovic.

Meanwhile Napoli finished with 10-men and lost ground in the title race as they were beaten 2-1 at Catania.

Ibrahimovic gave Milan the lead with the first clear chance of the game as he got ahead of marker Juan to head home Alberto Aquilani’s pin-point cross on 17 minutes.

Robinho then tried to catch out Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekenlenburg with a shot from the halfway line but it sailed wide.

Roma equalised on 28 minutes when Burdisso out-muscled Gianluca Zambrotta to head home Miralem Pjanic’s corner.

But the hosts couldn’t stay level for long and Alessandro Nesta headed home from 10 yards out when a sea of red shirts around him parted invitingly as Robinho swung over a corner.

Roma almost hit straight back but Pjanic’s free-kick went inches past the post.

Goalkeeper Christian Abbiati came to Milan’s rescue in the second period to save a point-blank header from Pablo Osvaldo as Roma pushed for an equaliser.

But Ibrahimovic killed the game with another header from another Aquilani cross following a short-corner routine 12 minutes from time.

Bojan gave Roma late hope three minutes from time as he swept home the rebound after Abbiati spilled Erik Lamela’s low shot.

Edinson Cavani gave Napoli a lightning start but goals from Giovanni Marchese and Gonzalo Bergessio condemned them to defeat after Mario Santana had been dismissed.

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri felt his team deserved more.

“I’m happy with the way the team played, I’m disappointed to have lost in this way, it wasn’t deserved,” he said.

“You could see it wasn’t our day but I congratulated the lads because they gave the maximum.

“In the second half, 10 against 11, it seemed like we had the numerical advantage but we paid for certain episodes.”

Napoli stunned their hosts in just 29 seconds as Andrea Dossena crossed from the left and Cavani got between two defenders to poke home from close range.

It was his first goal since September 18th in the 3-1 win over Milan.

However, thereafter it was Catania who took control and Marchese equalised when a shot from Alejandro Gomez hit Juan Zuniga and fell kindly for him.

Another rebound presented Gomez with a chance but he fired wide of the far, top corner.

A slick move saw Sergio Almiron arrive 20 yards out to fire a shot with the outside of his boot that had Morgan De Sanctis well beaten but flashed just the wrong side of the post.

Napoli’s task was then made much harder as a rash challenge from Santana saw him pick up a second yellow card three minutes before the break.

And things went from bad to worse for the visitors three minutes after the break as Bergessio headed home Adrian Ricchiuti’s cross from the left.

Gomez should have killed the game on the counter but fired wide of the upright with only De Sanctis to beat.

The 10 men were not out of it and Ezequiel Lavezzi flicked a shot just wide of the post before teeing up Cavani who from the penalty-spot made a complete mess of his attempt.

Nicolas Spolli then cleared off the line from Blerim Dzemaili as Napoli threw everything at their hosts.