GEORGE WEAH hauled AC Milan out of their crisis yesterday when the Liberian scored the winner in a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over Bologna.
After successive defeats to FC Porto in the Champions League and Sampdoria in the Serie A, Marco Simone looked to have banished Milan's worries with a superb strike three minutes after the restart. However, the euphoria lasted just five minutes before Russian Igor Kolyvanov rattled in a penalty for the home side.
But Weah had the ball back in the Bologna net four minutes later and Milan held on despite having Dutch substitute Edgar Davids sent off three minutes before the whistle.
European champions Juventus joined Parma and Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A after two goals in the last 10 minutes earned them a 2-1 win at newly-promoted Perugia.
Both sides finished with 10 men - Salvatore Matrecano dismissed in the 56th minute for Perugia and Juventus's new French midfielder signing Zinedine Zidane ordered off barely 10 minutes later.
Michele Padovano put Juventus in front and playmaker Alessandro Del Piero got the second to make sure of all three points. Marco Negri got a consolation goal for Perugia just before the whistle.
Parma struggled to beat Reggiana 3-2 in the northern derby but finished the weekend top of the table and ahead of Juventus and Inter on goal difference.
Parma were twice in front before Gianfranco Zola, whose confidence has returned after missing a crucial penalty against Germany at Euro '96, notched the match winner on the hour.
Inter drew 1-1 at home with Lazio after conceding their first goal this season in the 34th minute. Lazio dominated the first half and skipper Giuseppe Signori's angled shot broke the deadlock. It was the first goal Lazio had scored this season and the first conceded by Inter. However, stung into action by the setback, French defender Jocelyn Angloma soon headed an equaliser.
Inter coach Roy Hodgson said: "We suffered a lot in the first half but we came out in the second and we responded well to Signori's goal.
"We constantly had Lazio on the ropes for the second-half but taking the game as a whole I'm satisfied with the point."
Anselmo Robbiati needed only six minutes to open the scoring for Fiorentina at home to Verona, and a second-half penalty converted by Argentine skipper Gabriel Batistuta sealed a 2-0 victory.
Oliver Bierhoff, linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers this week, gave Udinese a decisive 2-1 lead over Caglian. Bierhoff, who scored twice as a substitute in the final to win the European Championship for Germany, struck the winner in the 23rd minute.
Uruguayan Fabian O'Neill was hero and villain for Cagliari, notching a 19th minute equaliser and then being sent off in the 55th.
AS Roma's hopes of staying top were dashed after a 4-1 thrashing at home to Sampdoria on Saturday night. Abel Balbo broke the deadlock in the 55th minute but Sampdoria substitute Vincenzo Moatella, a 22-year-old striker fast becoming this season's revelation, and Roberto Mancini then wrought havoc in the Roma defence.
An own goal by Brazilian defender Aldair levelled for 1-1 and two more from Montella and one from Mancini completed the rout. Roma coach Carlos Bianchi said: "We failed to take our chances. We had two after Balbo's goal which would have ended the match but we missed them."
In yesterday's other action, Vicenza crushed Atalanta 4-1 and Napoli were held to a 1-1 draw ate home by Piacenza.
