Crespo hat-trick moves Milan closer as Juventus held

Argentine striker Hernan Crespo hit a hat-trick as Milan beat Lecce 5-2 yesterday to move within two points of Serie A leaders Juventus, who were held to a 1-1 draw at struggling Parma.

Champions Milan had the game at the San Siro wrapped up at 4-0 after just 57 minutes thanks to Crespo's hat-trick and a goal from Andriy Shevchenko.

Lecce pulled two goals back after Milan defender Alessandro Nesta was sent off in the 74th minute. Danish substitute Jon Dahl Tomasson made it 5-2 for Milan near the end.

Juventus led at Parma through a 64th minute header from Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic before Marco Marchionni's 85th minute goal ensured Fabio Capello's side's lead at the top was cut to just two points.

Third-placed Udinese's 10-match unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Sampdoria, while Inter won 2-0 at Livorno.

Bottom club Atalanta picked up their first win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over Fiorentina.

Milan have now scored 11 goals in their last two home games and they opened up Lecce with ease.

Crespo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a simple tap-in after a low cross from Brazilian Kaka. The pair combined again for Milan's second goal after 36 minutes, Crespo this time showing some smart footwork to round Lecce goalkeeper Vincenzo Sicignano after Kaka had burst down the left flank.

Six minutes after the break Shevchenko, who showed his 'golden ball' award to the crowd before the game, made it 3-0 with a far post header from Andrea Pirlo's cross and unselfishly slipped the ball to Crespo for the Argentine's third.

After Nesta was dismissed for a professional foul on Lecce's striker Valeri Bojinov in the 74th minute, the visitors pulled two goals back.

Bojinov fired home a free-kick just after the sending off and then Marco Cassetti made it 4-2 after 84 minutes before Shevchenko set up another tap-in, this time for Tomasson.

"We showed today that we have regained the form we showed last season," said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti. "We feel strong, solid and confident in what we're doing. We're not thinking about the points, our aim is to maintain this form".

Juve had several first half chances against Parma and looked to have picked up one of their characteristic single goal wins after Ibrahimovic was left unattended to head home a cross from Mauro Camoranesi.

But with five minutes left, Juve's Uruguayan defender Paolo Montero's dreadful miskick let in Marchionni who burst goalwards and after keeper Gianluigi Buffon parried his first, right-foot shot he blasted in the second with his left for the equaliser.

"It can happen in football that you draw a game after you have played well and should have won. We paid the price for an unlucky incident," said Capello.

Inter's striker Adriano missed a 25th minute penalty but they went ahead at Livorno on 42 minutes when defender Marco Materazzi headed in and then Vieri made it 2-0 with a second half spot kick.

Udinese's excellent run of form was halted by Sampdoria who took the lead through the lively Francesco Flachi in the 68th minute. They made it 2-0 when Marcello Castellini's header against the bar bounced into the net off the back of Udinese keeper Morgan De Sanctis.

Lazio win Rome derby

Paolo Di Canio made a fairytale return to the Rome derby when he scored one goal and set up another in Lazio's 3-1 victory over rivals Roma.

Di Canio, who returned to the club he supported as a boy during the close season, put Lazio ahead in the 29th minute when he sprinted between defenders Philippe Mexes and Christian Panucci to volley Fabio Liverani's long ball into the net.

But Roma equalised after 69 minutes when poor defending allowed Antonio Cassano to nod home a Panucci cross.

Five minutes later, however, Di Canio chipped a loose ball to winger Cesar and the Brazilian rifled a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Striker Tommaso Rocchi bagged Lazio's third in the 85th minute when he broke the offside trap, rounded the goalkeeper and steered the ball home.

The result ended a run of 10 derbies without a win for Lazio.

Sunday's Fixtures: 3 p.m. Bologna vs Chievo; Fiorentina vs Lazio; Inter vs Sampdoria; Juventus vs Livorno; Lecce vs Reggina; Messina vs Brescia; Roma vs Atalanta; Siena vs Parma; Udinese vs Cagliari. 8.30 p.m. Palermo vs Milan.