Milan: Zlatan Ibrahimovic produced a spectacular strike for AC Milan to beat Fiorentina 1-0 in the Serie A on Saturday.
With his back to goal, the Swede flicked up the ball and executed an overhead kick past Fiorentina goalkeeper Artur Boruc into the bottom corner.
It came a week after his penalty against his former team Inter Milan decided the Milan derby.
"It was a great bit of skill, but we're used to him doing this," Milan coach Massimo Allegri said. "He's got great technique as well as a physical presence and is becoming a vital player for us."
Just before the final whistle Fiorentina defender Per Kroldrup was sent off for taking his protests with the referee too far.
"Today was difficult," Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati said. "After the derby win the team's enthusiasm was high.
"Fiorentina made it difficult for us and should be higher in the table. This was an important three points for us."
Also, AS Roma beat Udinese 2-0 at home with goals from Jeremy Menez and Marco Borriello either side of halftime, but finished the match with 10 men after Nicolas Burdisso was sent off in the 81st.
Milan started in confident form following its win in the Milan derby and Daniele Bonera forced Boruc into a save in the first minute.
Gaetano D'Agostino curled in a free kick that Abbiati had to palm off the line. He kept Fiorentina out again when he pushed Kroldrup's header over the bar.
Ibrahimovic scored in first-half injury time.
After the break Milan's central defensive duo Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva went close.
Abbiati again stopped Fiorentina from drawing level in the 83rd. Alberto Gilardino escaped from Nesta and set Adem Ljajic up for a low shot, but the goalkeeper reacted quickly.
At Rome's Olympic Stadium, Udinese went close to opening the scoring six minutes in. A corner fell to Maurizio Domizzi and he clipped the crossbar from a tight angle.
Roma captain Francesco Totti hit the bar from a free kick before Udinese strikers Antonio Di Natale and Antonio Floro Flores forced Roma goalkeeper Julio Sergio into sharp saves.
Menez opened the scoring with a solo effort in the 24th. He cut in off the left wing, beat two defenders and curled a shot past Udinese 'keeper Samir Handanovic.
"Once Menez scored we were in control of the game," Roma coach Claudio Ranieri said. "Menez is a rough diamond that we are polishing and his quality can improve the way we play."
Udinese hit the bar for a second time with a shot from Di Natale and only a desperate save from Handanovic stopped Totti from doubling Roma's lead.
Borriello used his strength to score Roma's second. He turned and held off Domizzi to squeeze a shot past Handanovic.
Udinese came straight back and Sergio was forced into a brave save with his face to stop Floro Flores.
Roma appeared in control, but Burdisso's sending off gave Udinese hope of staging a late comeback. The Argentine became involved in a scuffle with Domizzi and was sent off after shoving him over.
Alex Sanchez became the third Udinese player to hit the frame of the goal when he fired in a long-range shot, and German Denis had a goal ruled out for offside.
"We have done well to overcome a very good Udinese team," Ranieri said. "We needed a bit of luck as Udinese was playing much better than we were."
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