Parolo scores twice to lift Lazio over Milan

Lazio,-Parolo,-Milan

Lazio's Marco Parolo, celebrates his goal. [Gregorio Borgia/AP]

ROME — Lazio came back to beat visiting AC Milan 3-1 and move into third place in Serie A on Saturday.

Jeremy Menez put Milan ahead four minutes in at the Stadio Olimpico but Lazio — which has lost only once in eight matches — stormed back in the second half with a double from Marco Parolo and a goal by Miroslav Klose.

Klose also set up Parolo’s equalizer.

Lazio moved one point ahead of Napoli, which hosts Genoa on Monday.

Milan, which had its winless streak stretched to five matches, remained 10th.

Earlier, coach Gianfranco Zola’s Cagliari beat visiting Sassuolo 2-1 to register a second consecutive home win for the first time since April 2013 — moving the Sardinian club one point above the relegation zone.

Luca Rossettini put Cagliari ahead 20 minutes in with a header. Francesco Acerbi equalized with a rebound in the 76th and newly signed Duje Cop scored the winner three minutes later.

Sassuolo, which entered with a four-match unbeaten streak, ended with 10 men after Acerbi picked up his second yellow card in the 88th.

On Sunday, Serie A leader Juventus hosts Chievo Verona and second-place Roma visits Fiorentina.

In Rome, after Menez showed off his speed to give Milan the lead, Klose constructed Lazio’s equalizer by providing a perfect cross that Parolo volleyed in from the edge of the area.

Four minutes later, Klose finished off a counterattack with an angled shot inside the near post.

Klose, the top scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals, hadn’t found the net in Serie A since November, and there had been speculation he was considering leaving Lazio.

Parolo scored his second from the centre of the area following a cross from Antonio Candreva that was intended for Filip Djordjevic, who appeared to get injured when he attempted to shoot, leaving space for Parolo to find the target.

Milan defender Philippe Mexes was sent off in added time for grabbing Lazio captain Stefano Mauri on the neck.

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