Mutu lifts La Viola

Romanian striker hits the winner as Fiorentina down Catania.

Mutu

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Fiorentina’s Romanian forward Adrian Mutu hits the
target [AFP]

Former Juventus striker Adrian Mutu scored his 14th league goal of the season to lead Fiorentina over Catania 2-1 Sunday.

The Romanian, who is tied for second in Serie A leading scorers, shot from around 20 metres in the 71st minute.

Zdravko Kuzmanovic scored in the 40th to put Fiorentina ahead, but Juan Manuel Vargas equalised for Catania in the 60th.

“There are still a lot of games to play and we can improve,” Mutu said.

The win gives Fiorentina 41 points in Serie A and sole possession of fourth place, the last Champions League berth.

Inter Milan leads the league with 59 points, AS Roma has 48 and Juventus is third with 47.

All three teams played Saturday when David Suazo scored twice to lead Inter over Livorno 2-0.

Juventus defeated AS Roma 1-0 with a goal by Alessandro Del Piero. AC Milan, which is fifth with 38 points, drew at Parma 0-0.

Sampdoria down Genoa

Also Sunday, Christian Maggio scored in the 87th minute, after missing several clear chances, to give Sampdoria a 1-0 victory against Genoa in the city derby.

Antonio Cassano set up Maggio’s goal with a cross after dribbling around three Genoa defenders in the area.

Genoa goalkeeper Rubinho saved Maggio’s header, but the Sampdoria striker kicked in the rebound.

Cassano created most of Sampdoria’s chances and the former Real Madrid and Roma striker is likely to be considered by Italy coach Roberto Donadoni for this year’s European Championship.

Antonio Di Natale scored twice to lift Udinese over Reggina 3-1. Four of Di Natale’s nine goals this season have come against Reggina.

Simone Pepe scored in the 8th to put Udinese ahead and Di Natale made it 2-0 in the 63rd.

Francesco Modesto brought Reggina close in the 76th before Di Natale struck again in injury time.

Pozzi brace boosts Empoli

Empoli beat Napoli 3-1 with a goal in each half by Nicola Pozzi, who had to leave the game on a stretcher after injuring his knee while scoring the second time.

Napoli’s Daniele Mannini tied the score in the 37th. Pozzi put Empoli up for the second time in the 66th and Alessandro Budel scored the last goal in the 81st.

The teams each played with 10 players in the second half after Napoli’s Marcelo Zalayeta and Empoli’s Felice Piccolo were expelled during halftime for shoving each other.

Napoli played the last 15 minutes with nine men after Maurizio Domizzi received a red card for a last-man foul.

Also Sunday, it was: Lazio 3, Atalanta 0; Palermo 2, Cagliari 1; and Siena 0, Torino 0.

Source: News Agencies