Rome, Feb 1 (DPA) Lacklustre AC Milan could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Livorno Sunday, allowing Roma to pull level in second place in the Italian Serie A.
Roma beat bottom side Siena 2-1 thanks to a late goal from the young Stefano Okaka, who greeted his fans ahead of an imminent transfer to London side Fulham.
Champions Inter Milan had their game at Parma snowed out and hold an eight points lead on Roma and Milan, whose game at Fiorentina was called off in December.
At Milan’s Giuseppe Meazza, captain Massimo Ambrosini put the Devils one up on 44 minutes, after Brazilian Ronaldinho threatened with a free kick and hit the post on 36 minutes.
Ambrosini fired home after Francesco Benussi fumbled a cross from David Beckham, but Milan failed to consolidate their lead and were unable to rally after Livorno captain Cristiano Lucarelli deflected a drive from team mate Claudio Bellucci on 53 minutes.
Roma opened their home game with dangerous efforts from Brazilian Rodrigo Taddei and Norse John Riise, who was on target on 29 minutes with a textbook volley from a tight angle.
The Tuscany guests levelled on 41 minutes through Simone Vergassola’s flick after a great save from Julio Sergio and Roma began a long pressing that Okaka topped with a heel flick on 88 minutes.
There was no telling improvement from struggling giants Juventus as they drew 1-1 at home to lowly Lazio late Sunday with new coach Alberto Zaccheroni on the bench.
The Turin side had lost five of of their last six league outings under coach Ciro Ferrara and advanced to fifth place jointly with Palermo.
Elsewhere Sunday, Fiorentina and 10-man hosts Cagliari drew 2-2, and Sampdoria beat Atalanta 2-0, with their striker Giampaolo Pazzini on target for a tally of 11 goals that makes him the second best scorer next to Bari’s Brazilian Paulo Barreto.
Antonio Di Natale, of Udinese, and Inter Argentine Diego Milito lead the scorers’ table on 13 goals.
Both Chievo-Bologna and Catania-Udinese ended on 1-1 draws played out, while on Saturday promoted Bari won 4-2 over 10-man Palermo, and Napoli drew 0-0 with Genoa.
rounak