AC Milan beat Roma 1-0 to prevent them from taking top spot, while Inter Milan secured a late 2-1 win over Verona in Serie A action
AC MILAN defeated Roma 1-0 to stop the capital club from claiming the Serie A summit on Sunday.
Strahinja Pavlovic scored the only goal as Milan edged Roma in a tightly contested match at San Siro.
Roma had aimed to move two points clear at the top after reigning champions Napoli were held to a goalless draw by Como on Saturday.
Pavlovic’s decisive strike and a late missed penalty from Paulo Dybala ensured Milan instead climbed into third place.
Milan are now level on points with both second-placed Inter and Roma, who dropped to fourth position.
Napoli remain one point ahead of that trio following the weekend’s results.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan remain unbeaten since a surprise home loss to Cremonese on the opening day of the season.
Roma saw their perfect away record in the league ended under new coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Milan broke the deadlock in the 39th minute with a blistering counter-attack.
Marauding centre-back Pavlovic swept home Rafael Leao’s pull-back from close range just 17 seconds after Milan won the ball inside their own area.
Roma were given a chance to equalise with eight minutes remaining when Lorenzo Pellegrini’s free-kick struck Youssouf Fofana’s raised arm in the wall.
Dybala stepped up but saw his spot-kick pushed away by Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan as the hosts held on for a crucial victory.
Inter Milan were handed a 2-1 win at Verona through a late own goal.
Winless Verona fell behind in the 16th minute when Inter’s Piotr Zielinski thundered home a volley from a poorly cleared corner.
Giovane levelled for Verona on 40 minutes to make it 1-1.
The game appeared destined for a draw during much of a rain-soaked second half.
Nicolo Barella’s late cross was turned into his own net by Verona defender Martin Frese three minutes into added time.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu said it was one of those matches that’s easier to lose than win but his team showed character.
Struggling Fiorentina lost 1-0 at home to Lecce and remain winless from 10 Serie A games.
Torino and Pisa played out a 2-2 draw in their Sunday fixture.
Fiorentina have not been relegated since being promoted from Serie B in 2004.
Luciano Spalletti made a winning start as Juventus coach with a 2-1 victory over Cremonese on Saturday.
Jamie Vardy scored a late consolation goal for Cremonese in that match. – AFP
