Del Piero winner puts heat on Milan

Alessandro Del Piero got a 65th minute winner for Juventus as they beat Reggina 1-0 to move top of Serie A and pile the pressure on Milan.

Juve's victory at the Delle Alpi stadium moves Fabio Capello's side to 66 points, three more than Milan who must win today's game at Roma to stay level with their title rivals.

Del Piero's goal will also boost his chances of making Marcello Lippi's Italy squad for next week's World Cup qualifier with Scotland after the media speculated he could be left out.

Capello decided to give Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, returning from a head injury, another week's rest and the Turin side lacked his dynamic presence.

Juve struggled against a determined and well-organised Reggina side but took control after the break when Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit the bar with a header from a Mauro Camoranesi cross.

Moments later Del Piero crashed a fine shot from the edge of the area against the bar as Juventus again went close to a breakthrough.

That finally came when Ibrahimovic played Del Piero in with a smart back-heel and the striker coolly drove home from inside the area.

"We saw a great Del Piero tonight. The Del Piero of old," said Capello.

Vital win for Siena

In yesterday's other game, Croatian Igor Tudor's header on the hour gave struggling Siena a vital 1-0 win over Lazio.

After a poor first-half Tudor rose to head home a corner from former Lazio striker Enrico Chiesa to put Siena ahead against a side coached by ex-Siena boss Giuseppe Papadopulo.

Lazio responded well with the impressive Fabio Liverani twice going close but they were unable to find a way through.

The defeat leaves them 14th with 34 points, uncomfortably close to the relegation zone in the 20-team Serie A. Siena are 16th with 29 points also from 29 games, just a point above three automatic relegation places.