AC Milan beat Reggina as Kaka scored hat-trick in Serie A

Rome: World player of the year Kaka scored a hat-trick as AC Milan beat lowly Reggina 5-1 at the San Siro on Sunday to keep alive their Champions League qualification hopes. Milan are still four points behind Fiorentina, who beat Palermo 1-0 at home on Saturday, with four matches to play as they chase that crucial fourth place and a slot in Europe's premier competition next season. Sixth-placed Sampdoria stayed level on points with Milan as they beat Udinese 3-0 at home, leaving the seventh-placed north-easterners eight points behind Fiorentina and out of the race for Europe's premier competition. Third-placed Juventus need only one more point to ensure they play Champions League football next season as veteran striker Alessandro Del Piero scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory at Atalanta. Milan got off to a flying start with Kaka putting them ahead from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Francesco Modesto. Luca Vigiani brought down veteran Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf on 34 minutes and Kaka held his nerve a second time from 12 yards. But five minutes before the break, Reggina pulled one back through Edgar Barreto, who sent a fizzing strike into the top corner of Australian goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac's net. Kaka completed his treble with a low right-footed shot from the left into the far corner and super-poacher Filippo Inzaghi mopped up the loose ball after substitute Pato's shot was turned onto a post by goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo. Pato put the final gloss on the result, heading home a cross from French midfielder Yohann Gourcuff.

Inter Milan maintained their top position by beating fiorentina

Inter Milan beats Fiorentina 2-0 at the San Siro on Sunday to maintain their four-point lead in Serie A. Goals from Esteban Cambiasso and teenage striker Mario Balotelli earned the champions a deserved victory over Champions League chasing Fiorentina. The result also gave AC Milan a Champions League lifeline after they lost 3-2 at Juventus on Saturday. The Viola’s loss meant Milan remain just four points off fourth place and the final Champions League qualification position. Inter had the better of the first half chances but goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was in fine form. But he could do nothing 10 minutes after the restart when Patrick Vieira managed to square the ball into the box, finding Cambiasso, who rifled home into the roof of the net. Seven minutes later rising star Balotelli beat the offside trap and kept his head to cooly slot home.

Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A soccer round up

Madrid: Marco Ruben scored with two headers and rallied Recreativo Huelva to a 2-2 draw against FC Barcelona. The Argentine forward looped the equaliser over approaching goalkeeper Victor Valdes inside the far post in the 71st minute. Samuel Eto’o accounted for both of Barcelona’s goals, outjumping his marker in the second minute to deflect Giovani dos Santos’ short cross and spraying a bouncing ball from long range into the top corner in the 46th. Barcelona failed to subdue the 17th-place Recreativo and can fall further behind La Liga leader Real Madrid. Madrid, which plays no 19 Murcia, has 66 points, six more than Barcelona. Villarreal, which plays 9th-ranked Almeria, has 59. Recreativo has 37 to be four clear of relegation. Earlier on Saturday, Mohammed Tchite scored in the 83rd to give Racing Santander a 2-1 win over Valencia.

Juve beat 10-man AC Milan in thriller

Rome: Juventus dealt a potentially fatal blow to 10-man AC Milan’s Champions League hopes with a 3-2 win in blockbuster match in Turin. Goals from Alessandro del Piero, David Trezeguet and Hassan Salihamidzich gave the hosts the edge over the reigning European champions, who counted two Filippo Inzaghi goals while Daniele Bonera was dismissed in the second half. Juve thus closed the gap on second-placed AS Roma to seven points.