TWO second-half goals by Argentine striker Julio Ricardo Cruz, including the match-winner in the 90th minute, gave Bologna a surprising 2-1 victory over AS Roma Saturday, as the Italian league's season started after a two-week delay.
Meanwhile, Milan's two clubs scored victories. National team striker Christian Vieri notched the season's first goal in Inter Milan's 1-0 win over Torino at San Siro and Filippo Inzaghi scored twice in AC Milan's 3-0 victory at newly-promoted Modena.
The three matches, along with Empoli's 2-0 win at Como, were the first since Italian soccer officials pushed back the season's start to allow some clubs without TV contracts more time to find deals.
Cruz, who registered 10 goals for Bologna last season, scored his second goal Saturday on a play he started near the halfway stripe.
After crossing to Cristian Zaccardo on the opposite side of the field, the 27-year-old striker became the recipient of a pass from Zaccardo that he headed in from six meters, past Roma's diving goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.
In the 59th minute, Cruz's grazing header off a free kick by veteran Giuseppe Signori bounced in off the far post, evening the match after Roma had gone ahead on a penalty kick by Cruz's fellow Argentine Gabriel Batistuta just before halftime.
Francesco Totti's appearance as a second-half substitute for Roma was a bit of a surprise, as the national team's playmaker had been out of action since injuring his knee in early August.
Torino thought it had evened the match four minutes later on a free kick by midfielder Alessio Scarchilli, but the goal was disallowed for offsides.
Torino played much of the match with only 10 men, a result of defender Gianluca Comotto's expulsion in the 43rd minute for a hard foul on Inter defender Marco Materazzi.
In Modena, Milan went ahead in the 18th minute when Inzaghi finished off a dazzling dribbling display by Portuguese international Manuel Rui Costa.
Newly-signed Brazilian star Rivaldo only played the last 22 minutes of the match.
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti may have been saving Rivaldo for Milan's Champions League contest against French side Lens Wednesday.
Croatian defender Dario Simic's fourth Serie A goal in the 54th minute on a header off a cross from Pirlo made it 2-0. Inzaghi got behind the Modena defense in the 90th for his second goal.
In the matchup of the two newcomers in Como, striker Luca Saudati scored in the 15th minute of Empoli's win, taking advantage of Como goalkeeper Alex Brunner's inability to control a loose ball.
Fellow striker Antonio Di Natale's first Serie A goal came on a close-range blast in the 59th minute to make it 2-0.
(SD-Agencies)