JUVENTUS defeated AC Milan 3-2 in a dramatic game to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Alessandro Del Piero put Juve ahead in the 12th minute but two goals from Filippo Inzaghi turned the game in Milan's favour before Hasan Salihamidzic grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
The Bosnian provided the winner 10 minutes from time after Milan was reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when Daniele Bonera was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Mohamed Sissoko.
The victory enables Claudio Ranieri's side to narrow the gap on second-placed Roma to seven points with a game in hand while Milan remain four points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina having played one game more.
Juventus were ahead after 12 minutes when Mauro Camoranesi showed his strength to win the ball and send Del Piero through.
The Juve striker composed himself and picked his spot low in the far corner, slotting the ball just inside the left upright.
Milan's reaction was immediate with a Giuseppe Favalli cross from the left wing reaching Inzaghi at the near post, but he flashed an instinctive shot just wide.
Juventus did not heed the warning, though, and Milan pressed down the left with Andrea Pirlo sending Kaka free once again.
The Brazilian showed more composure on his way into the penalty area and sent in another low cross which Inzaghi, this time placed more centrally, tapped past Gianluigi Buffon.
The game continued at a frenetic pace with chances at both ends.
Seedorf had Buffon scurrying back towards his goal when a sliced cross threatened to go in the top corner.
From the resulting corner, Milan took the lead.
As Juve cleared their lines, Massimo Ambrosini lifted the ball exquisitely over the advancing defence for Daniele Bonera, who beat the offside trap, chested the ball down and then squared to Inzaghi, who was left with an easy tap-in from eight yards.
Buffon fumbled a 25-metre volley from Kaka and almost presented Inzaghi his hat-trick but dived on the ball before the Milan striker could pounce.
The one-goal lead remained under threat as the Bianconeri continued to look dangerous with the lively Del Piero moving from left to right in search of a gap.
He found one on the right in the final minute of the first half, lifting the ball into the danger area to his strike partner David Trezeguet.
The Frenchman's header was saved instinctively by Zeljko Kalac, although the Australian goalkeeper could do nothing about the follow-up from Salihamidzic, who netted the equaliser from point-blank range.
There was no let up in the second half either with both teams still going all out for the win.
Gennaro Gattuso had the first opportunity for the visitors with a shot at the far post which Buffon tipped over the crossbar.
At the other end, Kalac had to be at full stretch to palm a Zdenek Grygera shot wide of the post before the Rossoneri were reduced to 10 men when Bonera scythed down Sissoko deep in the Juventus half.
It took the home side 15 minutes before they made the one-man advantage count to go ahead.
Again it was Salihamidzic who found himself in the right place at the right time to nod Camoranesi's free-kick in from inside the six-yard box and restore Juve's advantage 10 minutes from time.
Del Piero had several chances to kill the game off, but Kalac saved each time, forcing Juve to sweat before the win was confirmed after five minutes of stoppage time.
Fabrizio Miccoli, meanwhile, came off the bench to grab the only goal of the game as he powered Palermo to a 1-0 to victory against Catania in the Sicilian derby.
Miccoli fired home five minutes from time to notch Palermo's second win on the trot after their surprise victory over Juventus last weekend.
The game had been a tame one until Stefano Colantuono brought on Miccoli and the 28-year-old, who had been out for six weeks with a calf injury, had an immediate effect as Palermo suddenly looked more threatening.
The Rosanero's victory pushes them up to ninth in the Serie A standings - level on points with eighth-placed Genoa - ahead of Sunday's matches, while Catania remain in 15th spot, three points off the drop zone.
Palermo 1 (Miccoli 84)
Catania Calcio 0
Juventus 3 (Del Piero 12, Salihamidzic 45, 80)
AC Milan 2 (Inzaghi 14, 31)
The Bosnian provided the winner 10 minutes from time after Milan was reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when Daniele Bonera was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Mohamed Sissoko.
The victory enables Claudio Ranieri's side to narrow the gap on second-placed Roma to seven points with a game in hand while Milan remain four points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina having played one game more.
Juventus were ahead after 12 minutes when Mauro Camoranesi showed his strength to win the ball and send Del Piero through.
The Juve striker composed himself and picked his spot low in the far corner, slotting the ball just inside the left upright.
Milan's reaction was immediate with a Giuseppe Favalli cross from the left wing reaching Inzaghi at the near post, but he flashed an instinctive shot just wide.
Juventus did not heed the warning, though, and Milan pressed down the left with Andrea Pirlo sending Kaka free once again.
The Brazilian showed more composure on his way into the penalty area and sent in another low cross which Inzaghi, this time placed more centrally, tapped past Gianluigi Buffon.
The game continued at a frenetic pace with chances at both ends.
Seedorf had Buffon scurrying back towards his goal when a sliced cross threatened to go in the top corner.
From the resulting corner, Milan took the lead.
As Juve cleared their lines, Massimo Ambrosini lifted the ball exquisitely over the advancing defence for Daniele Bonera, who beat the offside trap, chested the ball down and then squared to Inzaghi, who was left with an easy tap-in from eight yards.
Buffon fumbled a 25-metre volley from Kaka and almost presented Inzaghi his hat-trick but dived on the ball before the Milan striker could pounce.
The one-goal lead remained under threat as the Bianconeri continued to look dangerous with the lively Del Piero moving from left to right in search of a gap.
He found one on the right in the final minute of the first half, lifting the ball into the danger area to his strike partner David Trezeguet.
The Frenchman's header was saved instinctively by Zeljko Kalac, although the Australian goalkeeper could do nothing about the follow-up from Salihamidzic, who netted the equaliser from point-blank range.
There was no let up in the second half either with both teams still going all out for the win.
Gennaro Gattuso had the first opportunity for the visitors with a shot at the far post which Buffon tipped over the crossbar.
At the other end, Kalac had to be at full stretch to palm a Zdenek Grygera shot wide of the post before the Rossoneri were reduced to 10 men when Bonera scythed down Sissoko deep in the Juventus half.
It took the home side 15 minutes before they made the one-man advantage count to go ahead.
Again it was Salihamidzic who found himself in the right place at the right time to nod Camoranesi's free-kick in from inside the six-yard box and restore Juve's advantage 10 minutes from time.
Del Piero had several chances to kill the game off, but Kalac saved each time, forcing Juve to sweat before the win was confirmed after five minutes of stoppage time.
Fabrizio Miccoli, meanwhile, came off the bench to grab the only goal of the game as he powered Palermo to a 1-0 to victory against Catania in the Sicilian derby.
Miccoli fired home five minutes from time to notch Palermo's second win on the trot after their surprise victory over Juventus last weekend.
The game had been a tame one until Stefano Colantuono brought on Miccoli and the 28-year-old, who had been out for six weeks with a calf injury, had an immediate effect as Palermo suddenly looked more threatening.
The Rosanero's victory pushes them up to ninth in the Serie A standings - level on points with eighth-placed Genoa - ahead of Sunday's matches, while Catania remain in 15th spot, three points off the drop zone.
Palermo 1 (Miccoli 84)
Catania Calcio 0
Juventus 3 (Del Piero 12, Salihamidzic 45, 80)
AC Milan 2 (Inzaghi 14, 31)
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