MILAN, Italy, Oct 7, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Albert Gudmundsson shot Fiorentina to

a 2-1 win over AC Milan on Sunday after his goalkeeper David De Gea saved two
penalties, while Juventus fell further behind Serie A leaders Napoli on a day
of spot-kick drama.

Iceland attacker Gudmundsson lashed home the decisive goal in the 73rd minute
of a match in Florence which was packed with drama and featured three failed
attempts from the penalty spot.

The 27-year-old's winner was made possible by De Gea pulling off two
incredible stops to deny Theo Hernandez and then Tammy Abraham from scoring
penalties in a superb display from the former Spain goalkeeper.

Those saves contributed to Milan missing the chance to move second above
champions Inter Milan and Juventus, with the latter held 1-1 by Cagliari due
to Razvan Marin's late penalty.

Instead Milan, who did level Yacine Aldi's first-half opener for Fiorentina
when Christian Pulisic deftly guided home Hernandez's cross on the hour, sit
sixth and five points behind Napoli.

Adli's opener came in the 35th minute, after Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan
made the first penalty save of the evening, easily keeping out Moise Kean's
weak effort after Hernandez was penalised for kicking Dodo.

Kean had a tough night, missing a series of chances, having two goals rightly
ruled out for offside and thumping the crossbar with a rocket in stoppage
time, but he did provide the pass from which Gudmundsson won a thrilling a
contest for Fiorentina.

- Juve slip up -

Marin lashed home the 88th-minute penalty which gave Cagliari a point at the
Allianz Stadium after Roberto Piccoli was clumsily brought down by Douglas
Luiz.

Romania midfielder Marin's arrowed penalty levelled Dusan Vlahovic's 15th-
minute spot-kick and moved Cagliari a point above the relegation zone.

It was the first goal conceded by Juve in Serie A this season and left Thiago
Motta's third-placed side three points behind Napoli.

"We created a few opportunities but there was always the feeling that
Cagliari could get back into the game," said Motta.

"What happened today is all our own fault."

Cagliari could have even snatched a last-gasp win as Adam Obert thumped the
post in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Juve down to 10 men following
Francisco Conceicao's sending off almost immediately after Marin's equaliser
for trying to win a penalty by simulating a foul.

Juventus would have almost certainly had the full three points had Vlahovic
not wasted a huge chance in the 78th minute in front of Paul Pogba, who was
in the stands after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided on
Friday to cut his doping ban from four years to 18 months.

France midfielder Pogba can return to action in March but sporting director
Cristiano Giuntoli gave the impression that the 31-year-old has no future at
Juve.

"We'll make our decision once the CAS decision has been made official. He was
a great footballer but he hasn't played for a long time," Giuntoli said pre-
match.

- Roma demand 'respect' -

Juve have been joined on 13 points by their next opponents Lazio, who are
fourth after winning their fourth straight match in all competitions, 2-1
over Empoli.

Roma's sporting director Florent Ghisolfi meanwhile demanded "respect" for
his team after the capital club were denied a late penalty during their 1-1
draw at Monza.

Georgios Kyriakopoulos' 87th-minute challenge on Tommaso Baldanzi, which was
if anything worse than Douglas Luiz's on Piccoli, sparked a furious reaction
from Roma's players on the pitch and Ghisolfi later vented his frustration to
Sky.

"What happened today was unacceptable, it was a clear penalty. Why did VAR
not intervene?" said the Frenchman.

"There is a huge amount of frustration in the dressing room. We demand
respect."

Bologna's difficult start to life under Vincenzo Italiano continued with a
goalless draw against 10-man Parma.