Milan's desperate home form continued with a surprise defeat by Empoli on Sunday as Luca Saudati's second half header gave the visitors a deserved 1-0 win.

Elsewhere, Juventus reclaimed second spot from Fiorentina with a 1-0 win over Genoa in the late game after the Viola had beaten Tuscan neighbours Siena 3-0 earlier in the day to briefly move ahead of the Bianconeri.

MILAN 0-1 EMPOLI

Empoli, who started the day in the relegation zone, arrived at the San Siro as rank outsiders to take anything from the game, but left with all three points and only their second ever win at the famous old stadium.

The defeat means Milan's winless run at home this season was extended to four games - Catania, Parma and Fiorentina all managed to win points there earlier in the campaign - and the Rossoneri tifosi voiced their displeasure at the latest slip-up with a chorus of jeers at full-time.

The European champions now occupy 11th place in Serie A, 10 points behind city rivals and league leaders Internazionale.

With Ronaldo still some way from full fitness and Kaka rested after having played two World Cup qualifiers for Brazil over the past week, Carlo Ancelotti was again forced to partner Alberto Gilardino with Filippo Inzaghi up front.

And, the 5-1 drubbing of Lazio a fortnight ago aside, the combination once again failed to work and not for the first time this season, Milan's inability to find the back of the net proved to be their downfall.

Milan's lack of attacking prowess was all too evident on this performance and Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani's recent admission that the club will not be bringing in any new players in January must surely now have to be revised.

If not, a great deal - perhaps too much - will be expected from 18-year-old Brazilian Alexandre Pato, who will finally be allowed to make his Serie A debut in January after having signed over summer.

But despite the storm clouds hanging over the club, it was the hosts who started the game in the more confident mood - undoubtedly a legacy of the Lazio win - and they should have taken the lead as early as the third minute. Czech defender Marek Jankulovski put in a dangerous ball across the face of goal but first Inzaghi and then Gilardino fluffed their lines and the chance went begging.

Milan bossed the opening ten minutes, and Clarence Seedorf was unlucky not to win a penalty five minutes later when his crisp drive from outside the area clearly struck Felice Piccolo on the arm.

But the referee waved play on and Empoli took heart from the decision; from that moment on the visitors began to assert themselves a great deal more on the game.

Davide Moro should have done better with a volley over the bar after a quarter of an hour and Antonio Busce twice threatened Dida's goal, only to see both his efforts go wide.

Inzaghi had the ball in the back of the net for Milan on 17 minutes, but the flag had already been raised for offside as his header flew past Daniele Balli, who had moments earlier raced off his line to deny the Milan striker.

Luca Saudati headed wide of the mark and Moro had time to blaze over the bar again before the half time whistle sounded, as Empoli finished the half the stronger of the two sides.

Chances fell at both ends of the pitch soon after the restart; Saudati heading wide of the target when he had time to bring the ball down and shoot before Seedorf burst through the Empoli defence only for Balli to race off his line to make the save.

Saudati then swooped with what proved to be the winner on 56 minutes, sneaking in behind an uncharacteristically out of position Alessandro Nesta to head Francesco Mariannini's cross past Dida.

Milan pressed hard for an equaliser, but the longer they went without a goal, the more desperate they became, ending up with Massimo Ambrosini playing alongside Gilardino up front.

Indeed, it was Ambrosini who came closest to nicking a leveller, but Balli saved well in the 73rd minute after substitute Cristian Brocchi had played a clever pass through.

Ultimately, frustration reigned at the San Siro. And it is not going to get any easier for Milan in the near future. Next up for Carlo Ancelotti's side? Just a midweek Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk followed by the small matter of Roma at the weekend.

JUVENTUS 1-0 GENOA

Alessandro Del Piero's first half goal proved decisive as Juventus claimed all three points at the Stado Olimpico in Turin.

The marksman celebrated signing a new deal with the club he has been at all his career with a well-taken first-time finish from Pavel Nedved's near post cross on 36 minutes.

The hosts enjoyed the better chances in the opening period, and could have opened the scoring in the 17th minute, but David Trezeguet's towering header fell kindly into the arms of Genoa keeper Rubinho.

The Del Piero-Trezeguet partnership was the focus of most of the Old Lady's attacking play and the former nearly notched a second just before half-time with a free-kick that Rubinho was forced into tipping over the bar.

Genoa were more threatening after the break, Giuseppe Sculli in particular causing a few problems for the Juve defence. The best chance of the second half fell to the Grifone midfielder on 55 minutes, but his effort was well saved by Gigi Buffon when he was put through on goal.

Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri saw red for abusing the referee as the game neared a hectic conclusion and tempers frayed on the pitch. And right on the stroke of full-time Nedved also received his marching orders, for an elbow on Genoa defender Abdoulay Konko.

ATALANTA 2 TORINO 2

Goals by Nicola Ventola and Marco Motta in the last 15 minutes enabled 10-man Torino to come from 2-0 down to snatch a draw in Bergamo.

Brazilian forward Adriano Ferreira Pinto blasted in a left-footed shot on the stroke of halftime to put Atalanta in front.

In the 66th minute Torino's Cesare Natali pushed Riccardo Zampagna in the area to earn himself a second yellow card and concede a penalty, which Cristiano Doni converted.

CAGLIARI 1 CATANIA 1

Defender Christian Terlizzi nodded home a Giuseppe Mascara free kick to put the visitors ahead in the 11th minute.

Cagliari's Alessandro Matri headed in Michele Fini's cross to equalize 40 seconds after halftime.

FIORENTINA 3 SIENA 0

Unbeaten Fiorentina took the lead in the 15th minute when Giampaolo Pazzini controlled a Franco Semioli header and scissor-kicked the ball home.

Adrian Mutu fired in a clever back-heeled pass from Pazzini to double the advantage in the 31st. Christian Vieri put the outcome beyond doubt in the 71st.

LIVORNO 0 LAZIO 1

Macedonia striker Goran Pandev scored the winner just before the break with a deflected shot from outside the area.

Lazio's Fabio Firmani was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving a second yellow.

New coach Giancarlo Camolese, who took over from the sacked Fernando Orsi 11 days ago, was unable to lift Livorno off the bottom of the table in his first game with the winless side.

SAMPDORIA 3 PARMA 0

A goal by Vincenzo Montella the 25th minute and Claudio Bellucci's brace in the first 13 minutes of second half condemned Parma to their third consecutive defeat.

UDINESE 1 PALERMO 1

Brazilian striker Amauri completed a Palermo counter-attack with a low diagonal shot in the 17th minute.

Udinese's Ghanaian forward Asamoah Gyan dribbled past Italy defender Andrea Barzagli and unleashed a powerful shot to even the score 20 minutes after halftime.

Mike Hytner / Reuters