Napoli manages to draw in dying seconds

Napoli manages to draw in dying seconds

AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead in the dying moments at the Stadio San Paolo as battling Napoli earned a 2-2 draw.

The Rossoneri appeared to be cruising to victory when goals from Filipo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato put the 2-0 up inside the first five minutes - and Ignazio Abate's dismissal four minutes from time appeared to be academic.

But Luca Cigarini netted a stunning volley in the last minute and fellow substitute German Denis headed his side level three minutes into stoppage time.

The opening stages were all about Inzaghi, as he grabbed his first league goal of the season and created another.

In just the second minute, a beautifully-weighted pass through the Napoli defence from Clarence Seedorf found Inzaghi, who allowed the ball to bounce before volleying past Morgan De Sanctis left footed.

And three minutes later Napoli were two down as they paid the price for defending high up the pitch.

A long ball was headed on by Inzaghi and Pato ran the length of Napoli half before coolly finishing from the edge of the area.

Ronaldinho almost capitalised on a Gianluca Grava error after 10 minutes. The Brazilian snatched the ball on the left, cut inside but then seemed to be unsure whether to cross or shoot, allowing De Sanctis to save.

Marek Hamsik shot wide from range and, after 15 minutes, forced Nelson Dida into his first save of the match, diving at his near post to turn behind an effort from the Slovakian.

On the half-hour mark, Leandro Rinaudo was left unmarked at the far post but he headed Walter Gargano's floated free-kick over the bar, while Hamsik's shot from the right side of the penalty area three minutes before the break hit the side netting.

Two minutes after the break, Ezequiel Lavezzi shot from the edge of the area. Dida blocked and the ball fell at the feet of Christian Maggio, but Dida got a hand to his effort to push it out for a corner.

A minute later, Lavezzi's snapshot volley went narrowly over after Abate's weak defensive header went straight to him.

Just before the hour mark, Abate's excellent tackle on Walter Gargano sparked chaos in the Milan box.

The ball broke again to Gargano, but he could not convert, before chances for Fabio Quagliarella and Hamsik also went begging as somehow Dida kept the ball out.

Inzaghi was marginally, but correctly, adjudged offside when he had the ball in the net after 62 minutes, but he should have done better three minutes later when he was played through by Massimo Ambrosini and sliced his effort over the bar.

Four minutes from time Abate was dismissed after picking up a second yellow for a scything challenge on Gargano.

Seedorf's defensive header in the final minute of regular time went straight to Cigarini whose volley from 20 yards nestled in the corner.

And three minutes into stoppage time Napoli sealed an unlikely point as Cristian Maggio crossed for Denis, who beat Thiago Silva to the ball and crashed his header home.