Roma goes top of Serie A by beating Atalanta 2-1
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AS Roma moved top of Serie A yesterday by beating Atalanta 2-1 after first-half goals from Mirko Vucinic and Marco Cassetti.
Roma has 68 points, one more than Inter, which drew 2-2 with Fiorentina on Saturday.
"We have five games to go and we have to keep playing as we are because we are sure to face a lot of challenges," Roma coach Claudio Ranieri said. "We have five games left and we have to take every one of them seriously because now our fate is in our hands."
Milan remains third with 64 points after a 2-2 draw with Catania. Milan's Marco Borriello scored twice after Maxi Lopez and Adrian Ricchiuti had given the Sicilians a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Palermo is in the final Champions League qualification place with 54 points after a 3-1 victory over Chievo Verona.
Palermo scored two goals through Fabio Miccoli and one from Javier Pastore. Marcos De Paula scored for Chievo.
Sampdoria is level on points with Palermo but remains a place behind following a 1-0 victory over Genoa in the cross-town derby. Striker Antonio Cassano scored the only goal of the game with a first-half header.
Also Sunday, it was: Bologna 2, Lazio 3; Juventus 1, Cagliari 0; Livorno 0, Udinese 2 and Siena 3, Bari 2.
Roma took the lead when Vucinic's weak shot from the edge of the area went through the legs of goalkeeper Andrea Consigli in the 12th minute.
Cassetti made it 2-0 in the 27th with a diving header from Francesco Totti's cross.
Atalanta hit back when Simone Tiribocchi scored in the 53rd, capitalizing on hesitation in Roma's defense to find the net.
Roma next meets Lazio, and Ranieri is wary of the threat their city rival will pose.
"We know that meeting Lazio in the derby has nothing to do with how you are playing or where you are in the table," Ranieri said. "Lazio can make things very complicated for us."
At the San Siro, Catania scored in the 12th minute when Lopez broke through the defense and shot low past goalkeeper Dida.
Lopez then turned creator for Catania's second goal. Ricchiuti broke through in midfield, passed to the Argentine wide on the left and then raced into the area to head Lopez's cross in from close range.
Borriello brought Milan back into the match in the 47th, linking up with Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf to head the ball into the net.
For his second goal and 13th of the season, Borriello controlled Ignazio Abate's cross on his chest and fired past goalkeeper Mariano Andujar.
"We gave away the first half, but I'm pleased with how we reacted in the second half," Milan coach Leonardo said. "Our play was too slow and we didn't have any movement.
"I'm pleased with the reaction after halftime and the character the players showed. But of course I'm not pleased that we didn't win."
In Palermo, Chievo took the lead in the 18th minute. Palermo midfielder Antonio Nocerino's weak header was intercepted by De Paula, who fired past goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
Pastore brought Palermo level in the 28th when he rose highest to head in Fabio Liverani's cross. Liverani was then brought down by Manuel Iori inside the box, and Miccoli slotted home the penalty.
Miccoli scored his second of the match shortly after halftime, finding the net from the edge of the area with an angled drive.
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