AC Milan attack thrives under Inzaghi in win: ‘Almost every time we took a shot, we scored’

'There's no doubt we deserved to win this game' said Filippo Inzaghi as AC Milan edged Parma in a 5-4 thriller on Sunday to go top of the Serie A table.

Giacomo Bonaventura, near, celebrates with Keisuke Honda after scoring AC Milan's opening goal in their win over Parma in Serie A on Sunday. Elisabetta Baracchi / EPA / September 14, 2014

AC Milan moved back to the top of the Serie A table on Sunday after a thrilling 5-4 win at Parma where both sides finished with 10 men.

Champions Juventus and Roma, both of whom have also won their opening two games, sit second and third respectively with Inter Milan in fourth, two points off the pace.

AC Milan are looking to launch a revival under new coach Filippo Inzaghi following two mediocre seasons, and have impressed so far.

“Almost every time we took a shot on goal, we scored,” Inzaghi told Sky Sports.

“There’s no doubt we deserved to win this game. A draw wouldn’t have been a fair result. We were always in front in the game ... this is the true Milan spirit.”

Milan looked to have taken a firm grip of the game after taking a 3-1 lead by the break.

Former Atalanta striker Giacomo Bonaventura claimed his maiden goal in the 25th minute after being set up by Keisuke Honda, only for former Milan player Antonio Cassano to beat keeper Diego Lopez with a bouncing header only two minutes later.

The visitors were soon back in front when Honda headed Ignazio Abate’s fine delivery past Antonio Mirante on 37 minutes and Jeremy Menez doubled their lead from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after he was hauled down by Alessandro Lucarelli.

Yet the tide turned in the other direction inside 10 second-half minutes.

Milan’s two-goal lead was halved when Cristobal Jorquera did great work down the left, leaving Felipe to beat Lopez from close range.

Barely 10 minutes later Milan were reduced to 10 men when Daniele Bonera was sent off for handball on the edge of the area.

Milan looked to have fortune on their side when Cassano failed to control a pass from Felipe near the halfway line, allowing Nigel De Jong to steal in and run towards goal where he sneaked the ball inside Mirante’s near post.

But only two minutes later Parma reduced the arrears again, Lucarelli rising to meet a corner and send a curling header past the outstretched Lopez.

Parma, however, suffered two blows in as many minutes.

Felipe was booked for a second time and sent off after a challenge from behind on Menez.

Minutes later the Frenchman restored Milan’s two-goal lead with a superb individual effort which saw him steal possession deep on the left and dink the ball past Mirante before sending the ball into the roof of the net with a powerful backheel.

Earlier, Mauro Icardi scored a hat-trick and Pablo Osvaldo added a double as Inter routed Sassuolo 7-0 for the second successive season. Early last season Inter handed Sassuolo, then in their maiden season in Italy’s top flight, a 7-0 defeat.

Elsewhere, Napoli suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to Chievo, hosts Fiorentina were held to a scoreless draw by Genoa, Lazio routed Cesena 3-0 and Atalanta claimed a precious 2-1 win away at Cagliari.

On Saturday Carlos Tevez and Claudio Marchisio hit one apiece for Juve in a 2-0 home win over Udinese.

It was Max Allegri’s first home game in charge of Juve and the former Milan handler, who has yet to win over many fans, told Sky Sports: “It was a pretty special night, my first as Juventus manager in this incredible stadium.

“We succumbed to a few too many of their counter-attacks in the first half and in the second there was a 10-minute period in which they gave us some trouble.

“But overall I’m happy with our performance.”

Juve host Malmo in their Champions League group A opener on Tuesday, with Roma in action a day later in the Italian capital against CSKA Moscow.

Roma coach Rudi Garci, who as coach of Lille faced CSKA in the 2011/2012 competition, admitted the mood in the camp is buoyant.

“The Champions League is a fantastic competition. I’ve already experienced it as coach of Lille,” Garcia told Sky

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