Pato scores 2 as AC Milan beats Chievo Verona 3-1

Posted Sunday, October 17, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

MILAN (AP)—AC Milan beat Chievo Verona 3-1 to take the provisional lead in the Serie A on Saturday.

Milan was top with 14 points, one ahead of Lazio and three of Inter Milan. Both teams play on Sunday.

Also, AS Roma grabbed only its second win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Genoa thanks to goals from Marco Borriello and Matteo Brighi.

At the San Siro, Alexandre Pato scored twice in partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic to give Milan a deserved two-goal lead at the break.

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“I’m coming back after injury and I have played for the Brazil team and then today with Milan,” Pato said. “I’m delighted to have played and to have scored, but overall I’m happy that Milan won.

“I have to do what I have to do to help the team because if we play well, then we will score and tonight was an excellent win.”

Chievo fought back in the second, but found the net only when Ibrahimovic conceded an own goal from a corner in the 70th minute.

As Chievo pushed for an equalizer, Robinho broke away to net his first goal for Milan.

Both sides enjoyed numerous chances, but Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati and Chievo’s Stefano Sorrentino played well.

Milan took the lead in the 18th. Ibrahimovic crossed from the left and Pato volleyed home.

Chievo then wasted two good openings to equalize. First Abbiati pushed Pablo Granoche’s header wide and then in the 28th he made a double save from Kevin Constant.

Pato made Chievo pay immediately when he scored his second two minutes later. Ibrahimovic took a quick free kick and Pato fired past Sorrentino from just inside the area.

Shortly before halftime Sorrentino denied Pato a hat trick after Ibrahimovic again set the 21-year-old free behind Chievo’s defense.

Milan defender Thiago Silva was stretchered off midway through the second period with an ankle injury, but was expected to be fit for the Champions League encounter with Real Madrid in midweek.

“I was worried when Thiago was injured,” Pato said. “When he went off I went to see how he was. I am happy to say he wasn’t worried about it.”

Chievo pulled a goal back in the 70th when the ball flicked off Ibrahimovic’s shoulder and past Abbiati from a corner.

Robinho wrapped up the win in injury time by rounding Sorrentino and prodding the ball into the empty net.

Roma began against Genoa in determined fashion. Francesco Totti had an early goal ruled out for offside and in the 18th Borriello hit the post.

Eventually Roma broke through in the 34th when Totti’s cross was deflected off Domenico Criscito and Borriello stole ahead of Genoa’s defense to divert the ball past Eduardo.

Borriello was involved in Roma’s second. The former Genoa striker played a reverse pass with Simone Perrotta on the edge of the area and when the ball ran free Brighi slid in to hook the ball over Genoa goalkeeper Eduardo.

Borriello then hit the bar in the 60th before Gergely Rudolph scrambled a goal back for Genoa, but Gian Piero Gasperini’s side was unable to find an equalizer.