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Italy: Palladino helps Livorno beat Lecce in Serie A opener [Sat Aug 27th, 2005]
Milan (Reuters) - Raffaele Palladino hit the winner to steer Livorno to a 2-1 victory over Lecce in the opening game of the Serie A season.
Italy international Cristiano Lucarelli fired Livorno into a 12th-minute lead with a superbly taken goal, turning sharply to lose two markers before driving home a right-foot shot.
Lucarelli went close to making it 2-0 when he headed a Marc Pfertzel cross against the post in the 28th minute as the Tuscan side dominated the early stages.
But Lecce pulled level in the 39th minute when Souleymane Diamoutene was hauled down by Chilean defender Jorge Vargas and Alex Pinardi slotted home the penalty.
Palladino decided the game three minutes after the restart when he burst into the area and unleashed a powerful right-foot shot.
Fiorentina play hosts to Sampdoria later on.
On Sunday, champions Juventus are at home to Chievo Verona, AC Milan visit promoted Ascoli and Treviso play their first game in the top flight against Inter Milan at the San Siro.
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