Juve hit back to beat Lazio

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC scored his seventh league goal of the season as Juventus came from behind to defeat Lazio 2-1 yesterday and restore their four point lead at the top of Serie A.

Defending champions AC Milan piled the pressure on Juve 24 hours earlier when they closed the gap to just one point after winning at Parma.

But Juve rose to the challenge despite going an early goal down to Goran Pandev’s superb solo effort.

The home side drew level before the break when Ruben Olivera headed home Mauro Camoranesi’s cross and Ibrahimovic sealed the win 15 minutes from time at the Delle Alpi stadium.

French midfielder Olivier Kapo broke down the right and left Lazio’s defence for dead and his intelligent cutback was volleyed in from close range by the predatory Sweden international.

Juventus have 35 points from 14 matches, while Milan have 31, six more than third-placed Udinese who edged second from bottom Siena 1-0.

Cagliari and Palermo climbed to fourth and fifth respectively with home wins.

Former Chelsea hero Gianfranco Zola scored twice in Cagliari’s 4-2 victory against Chievo, while Franco Brienza grabbed the only goal a minute before half time as Palermo piled the misery on bottom club Atalanta, who are still without a win since being promoted.

Brescia eased their relegation fears by winning 3-1 at fellow strugglers Reggina, while Lecce twice came from behind to beat Livorno 3-2 which lifted them up one place to seventh.

Fiorentina leapt four places up to eighth courtesy of a 1-0 home win against Bologna where Enzo Maresca’s deflected free-kick decided a hard-fought match.

Andrea Pirlo scored a last-gasp winner to complete a thrilling comeback as AC Milan recovered from a goal down to edge Parma 2-1 on Saturday.

AC Milan, who play Celtic tomorrow, dominated the match but found themselves a goal down in the 67th minute when Alberto Gilardino headed home Mark Brescian’s crossed free-kick.

Stunned into action, the visitors laid siege to Parma’s goal and scored twice in the final eight minutes.

Brazilian midfielder Kaka provided the final touch after Jon Dahl Tomasson had flicked on Vikash Dhorasoo’s corner before Pirlo’s strike ensured all three points for the title-holders.

In Saturday’s late match, Inter Milan thrashed Messina 5-0 at the San Siro, where Adriano scored a first-half hat-trick before further goals from Sinisa Mihajlovic and Christian Vieri compounded the Sicilians’ misery. Roma and Sampdoria played out a 1-1 draw last night.

Barcelona continued their dominance in Spain with a resounding 4-0 victory at lowly Málaga CF. The win, coupled with second-placed Real Madrid’s draw away to Villarreal last night, leaves the Catalan side holding a nine-point lead in La Liga.

Samuel Eto’o opened the scoring on 24 minutes, dodging past two markers to fire past Juan Calatayud. Within five minutes Deco had doubled the lead with a stunning strike from 20 metres.

He also played a part in Barça’s third goal on 72 minutes, his failed attempt to shoot past the Málaga goalkeeper landing at the feet of Iniesta, who coolly tapped in the third before Eto’o scored yet again in added time to bring his season’s tally to 12.

Valencia, who face a vital UEFA Champions League encounter with Werder Bremen tomorrow, left it until the 85th minute to settle their visit to Albacete with Xisco Muñóz striking the winner.

Real Betis Balompié missed the chance to go fourth after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad.

Darko Kovacevic scored the only goal on 36 minutes when chipping Doblas from outside the box.

In last night’s late game Atlético Madrid defeated Osasuna 3-2 in a thrilling tie with Torres, Ballesta and Colsa scoring for the winners.

Schalke 04 moved level on points with Bayern Munich at the Bundesliga summit following a 1-0 derby win over Borussia Dortmund.

Brazilian Ailton scored the only goal on 17 minutes to continue Schalke’s record over their neighbours, who have not won the fixture since 1998.

Leaders Bayern Munich were left cursing a late slip that allowed Bavarian rivals FC Nuremberg to peg them back to a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

Bayern and Schalke are now level on 33 points and both sides have a chance of winning the honorific title of ‘winter champions’ in the final set of fixtures before the winter hiatus next weekend.

Porto, who face Chelsea in Champions League Group H on Wednesday, suffered a 1-0 defeat to Beira-Mar in the Portuguese Premier League.

Olympiakos Piraeus beat Athens rivals Panathinaikos 1-0 on Saturday, a fine goal by Brazil’s Rivaldo sending them top of the Greek first division.

The table-toppers face Liverpool in a crucial Group A Champions League tie for the Merseysiders tomorrow night.