Scorer: Vucinic 72 (R)
Milan cannot shake off their dismal home form, as Mirko Vucinic gave Roma a victory that all but rules the Rossoneri out of the title race. Daniele De Rossi also missed a penalty and Massimo Ambrosini was dismissed.
The Scudetto contenders went head-to-head to see who would get back on track in the hunt for leaders Inter. Both sides have been inconsistent in Serie A this season, but they also had injury worries, as Francesco Totti, Alberto Aquilani, Mauro Esposito and Rodrigo Taddei were ruled out for the visitors, while Marek Jankulovski, Massimo Oddo and Ronaldo forced a reshuffle at Milan. Veterans Paolo Maldini and Marcos Cafu took on their old roles.
Both were coming off confidence-boosting Champions League wins midweek, in which Mirko Vucinic netted his first goal of the campaign. Last term Roma won both trips here against Milan and Inter.
There was a good chance for the visitors when Vucinic pounced on a Kakha Kaladze error, but Nelson Dida was alert and rushed off his line to clear. Amantino Mancini robbed Andrea Pirlo only to shoot off target, while Daniele De Rossi helped crowd out Kaka.
On 16 minutes a Kaka angled drive from the edge of the area shaved a coat of paint off the far post with Alexander Doni beaten. Dida did well to turn a powerful Cicinho strike round the far post, but from the resulting corner the goalkeeper did not clear effectively and made up for it with a fine one-handed save on Cicinho's right-foot volley.
Cicinho almost hit the back of the net at the other end, his deflection anticipating Alberto Gilardino skimming his own goalmouth. But Dida was under a lot of pressure during this period, flying to palm a De Rossi rocket out of the far top corner.
Roma should have taken the lead on 27 minutes with a classic counter-attack, but when Mancini rolled across, Vucinic side-footed wide with only Dida to beat.
There were chances for both sides in an entertaining game, Clarence Seedorf drilling two opportunities past the post and Kaka's was deflected wide. Cafu's crucial tackle halted a dangerous Vucinic counter-attack and Philippe Mexes' toe-poke prevented Gilardino tapping in Seedorf's assist from six yards.
After the restart Gennaro Gattuso chested down the ball and flicked it past Juan before firing straight at Doni. The goalkeeper rushed out to smother Kaka's through pass to Pirlo and Gilardino's looping free header skimmed the woodwork from Maldini's cross.
It was Roma who eventually broke the deadlock. Cicinho went on the counter from Mancini's assist and crossed from the right for a splendid Vucinic diving header at the near post.
Substitute Serginho set up a good chance for Gilardino, but there was another turning point 10 minutes from time. Ambrosini held De Rossi's shirt as the Roma midfielder went for a header, leading to both a penalty and a second booking for the Milan man. De Rossi took the kick himself and attempted to chip it over Dida, but in fact fired over the bar.
That dreadful miss restored the Rossoneri's confidence, even though they were playing with 10 men, as Gilardino's twisting header shaved the base of the far post.
Ludovic Giuly struck the side-netting in stoppages and Dida was surprised by the former Barcelona star's snapshot, able to control it at the second attempt, as Roma cruised to victory.
Milan: Dida; Cafu, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini (Favalli 78); Gattuso (Serginho 74), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kakà, Gilardino
Roma: Doni; Cicinho (Panucci 84), Mexes, Juan, Cassetti; De Rossi, Pizarro; Mancini (Giuly 76), Perrotta (Brighi 59), Tonetto; Vucinic
Ref: Rosetti
Sent off: Ambrosini 79 (M)
Missed penalty: De Rossi 80 (R)
Milan cannot shake off their dismal home form, as Mirko Vucinic gave Roma a victory that all but rules the Rossoneri out of the title race. Daniele De Rossi also missed a penalty and Massimo Ambrosini was dismissed.
The Scudetto contenders went head-to-head to see who would get back on track in the hunt for leaders Inter. Both sides have been inconsistent in Serie A this season, but they also had injury worries, as Francesco Totti, Alberto Aquilani, Mauro Esposito and Rodrigo Taddei were ruled out for the visitors, while Marek Jankulovski, Massimo Oddo and Ronaldo forced a reshuffle at Milan. Veterans Paolo Maldini and Marcos Cafu took on their old roles.
Both were coming off confidence-boosting Champions League wins midweek, in which Mirko Vucinic netted his first goal of the campaign. Last term Roma won both trips here against Milan and Inter.
There was a good chance for the visitors when Vucinic pounced on a Kakha Kaladze error, but Nelson Dida was alert and rushed off his line to clear. Amantino Mancini robbed Andrea Pirlo only to shoot off target, while Daniele De Rossi helped crowd out Kaka.
On 16 minutes a Kaka angled drive from the edge of the area shaved a coat of paint off the far post with Alexander Doni beaten. Dida did well to turn a powerful Cicinho strike round the far post, but from the resulting corner the goalkeeper did not clear effectively and made up for it with a fine one-handed save on Cicinho's right-foot volley.
Cicinho almost hit the back of the net at the other end, his deflection anticipating Alberto Gilardino skimming his own goalmouth. But Dida was under a lot of pressure during this period, flying to palm a De Rossi rocket out of the far top corner.
Roma should have taken the lead on 27 minutes with a classic counter-attack, but when Mancini rolled across, Vucinic side-footed wide with only Dida to beat.
There were chances for both sides in an entertaining game, Clarence Seedorf drilling two opportunities past the post and Kaka's was deflected wide. Cafu's crucial tackle halted a dangerous Vucinic counter-attack and Philippe Mexes' toe-poke prevented Gilardino tapping in Seedorf's assist from six yards.
After the restart Gennaro Gattuso chested down the ball and flicked it past Juan before firing straight at Doni. The goalkeeper rushed out to smother Kaka's through pass to Pirlo and Gilardino's looping free header skimmed the woodwork from Maldini's cross.
It was Roma who eventually broke the deadlock. Cicinho went on the counter from Mancini's assist and crossed from the right for a splendid Vucinic diving header at the near post.
Substitute Serginho set up a good chance for Gilardino, but there was another turning point 10 minutes from time. Ambrosini held De Rossi's shirt as the Roma midfielder went for a header, leading to both a penalty and a second booking for the Milan man. De Rossi took the kick himself and attempted to chip it over Dida, but in fact fired over the bar.
That dreadful miss restored the Rossoneri's confidence, even though they were playing with 10 men, as Gilardino's twisting header shaved the base of the far post.
Ludovic Giuly struck the side-netting in stoppages and Dida was surprised by the former Barcelona star's snapshot, able to control it at the second attempt, as Roma cruised to victory.
Milan: Dida; Cafu, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini (Favalli 78); Gattuso (Serginho 74), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kakà, Gilardino
Roma: Doni; Cicinho (Panucci 84), Mexes, Juan, Cassetti; De Rossi, Pizarro; Mancini (Giuly 76), Perrotta (Brighi 59), Tonetto; Vucinic
Ref: Rosetti
Sent off: Ambrosini 79 (M)
Missed penalty: De Rossi 80 (R)
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