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The pressure was heaped on coach Massimiliano Allegri on Saturday after AC Milan continued their dreadful run of Serie A form with a 1-1 home draw against 10-man Genoa. |
Elsewhere, a late goal from Antonio Cassano snatched a surprise 1-0 win for Parma at
Napoli.
Milan were showered with boos and whistles after dropping to 11th place in the table on 14 points.
“We had loads of chances, missed a penalty and they scored with their only shot,” said Allegri. “We have to be more clinical in front of goal. “Even when it was 11 v 11 we were always on the front foot but the lads weren’t rewarded,” he added.
Kaka put Milan in front with an elegant fourth-minute goal, the Brazilian beautifully bringing down Nigel De Jong’s long pass as he burst into the area and without breaking his stride sweeping home an ice-cool finish.
Alberto Gilardino equalised from the spot for Genoa after Urby Emanuelson clumsily brought down Sime Vrsaljko four minutes later. Milan striker Mario Balotelli compounded Allegri’s misery by missing a 36th-minute penalty, only the second time in his career he had missed from the spot.
Not even Thomas Manfredini being sent off for fouling Balotelli for the penalty could help toothless Milan as their misfiring attackers wasted a series of chances.
Supporters were so angry at the display that the police had to block the players exit after the match as a group of enraged fans looked to continue their protests face-to-face.
Milan’s trip to Celtic in the Champions League tomorrow could turn out to be Allegri’s last throw of the dice.
In yesterday's matches, second-half strikes from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez secured Juventus a 2-0 win away to Livorno to send the defending champions to top of Serie A for the first time this season.
Elsewhere, Lazio escaped with a 1-1 draw away to 10-man Sampdoria while Fiorentina’s hopes of challenging for a place in Europe this season were dented by a 1-0 defeat away to dominant Udinese.
Juventus now have a two-point cushion on overnight leaders Roma ahead of the capital side’s home game against struggling Cagliari.
Although Roma could regain top spot with a win today, results elsewhere would be welcomed by Juventus, who host FC Copenhagen on Wednesday in a Champions League clash they must win to have any hope of qualifying from Group B.
Two weeks after a 3-0 rout away to Juve, Napoli succumbed to their second successive defeat when a late but fine individual effort from former Inter striker Antonio Cassano was enough to secure a surprise win for Parma.
Fiorentina also suffered a blow, failing to threaten during a trip to Udinese’s tough Friuli Stadium that left ‘La Viola’ with their third defeat of the campaign, but still in fifth place.