Thiago Motta ensured a dream start for the Brazilian coach with a third-minute opener, although Michele Pazienza dampened the mood when he equalised 22 minutes later.

But Esteban Cambiasso restored the home side's lead eight minutes before the break and Motta's second 10 minutes after it wrapped things up.

Earlier in the day, substitute Sidney Strasser netted his first professional goal five minutes from time at Cagliari to allow AC Milan to open up a five-point gap at the top of the table with a 1-0 win.

The 20-year-old Sierra Leone midfielder slotted home a late winner after fine work from new signing Antonio Cassano and Robinho.

Genoa and Lazio started 2011 with a point each from a goalless draw at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

In a game which lacked clear-cut goalscoring chances, the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was when Lazio forward Hernanes hit the post.

Roma came from behind to beat Catania 4-2.

With the game looking to be heading for a 2-2 draw with four minutes remaining, second-half substitute Mirko Vucinic came to the rescue by scoring twice to fire Roma to victory.

Marco Borriello had given the hosts a fifth-minute lead before Matias Silvestre equalised. Maxi Lopez put the Sicilians in front in the 38th minute but Borriello made it 2-2 shortly after the restart.

Palermo boosted their pursuit of a European place with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sampdoria.

Goals from Fabrizio Miccoli in the first half and Giulio Migliaccio and Massimo Maccarone in the second made for a misleadingly one-sided scoreline.

In the day's morning kick-off, Parma made a fine start to 2011 with a 4-1 win over 10-man Juventus in Turin.

Juve had Felipe Melo sent off in the 17th minute and held out until the 41st, when Sebastian Giovinco put the visitors in front.

Giovinco added his second early in the second half before Juve's Nicola Legrottaglie reduced the arrears on the hour mark.

Hernan Crespo restored Parma's two-goal lead two minutes later when he earned and converted a penalty.

Substitute Raffaele Palladino capped a wonderful day for Parma by making it 4-1 with seconds remaining as Juve's 13-match unbeaten run ended emphatically.

Mario Santana came off the bench to salvage a point for Fiorentina at fellow strugglers Bologna.

Marco di Vaio had put the hosts in front in the fifth minute at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara but Santana saved his team from defeat by grabbing the equaliser midway through the second half.

Ten-man Udinese claimed their sixth home win of the campaign, 2-0, with a dominant performance against Chievo.

Alexis Sanchez put the hosts in front in the 14th minute before Antonio Di Natale doubled Udinese's lead shortly afterwards.

Udinese were forced to play a man short from the 34th minute after Giampiero Pinzi was sent off for a second yellow card.

But they could and should have gone into the break 3-0 up had Di Natale not missed a penalty.

Two atrocious defensive errors in the first half gave Brescia too much of a deficit to overcome as they were beaten 2-1 at home by fellow strugglers Cesena.

Jonathan Zebina gifted the opening goal to Luis Jimenez and Luca Ceccarelli took advantage of more hesitant defending to put the visitors in control at the break.

Citadin Eder scored four minutes after half-time to ensure the match remained a contest but Brescia were unable to find an equaliser as Cesena held on comfortably.

Serie A's bottom club Bari made the perfect start to 2011 as debutant Stefano Okaka struck a late winner to secure his side's first away win of the season, 1-0 at Lecce.

Lecce's miserable afternoon was compounded by the last-minute dismissal of Guillermo Giacomazzi.