AC Milan saw their advantage at the top of Serie A cut to just three points by Napoli after being held to a 1-1 stalemate by Genoa today.

Alexandre Pato put Milan ahead in the 29th minute but Antonio Floro Flores levelled on the stroke of half-time for the home side, earning them the point they needed to move above their city rivals Sampdoria in the standings. With Napoli beating Chievo, Milan's lead at the top of the table is coming under increasing threat. City rivals Inter Milan can move to within five points by defeating Roma tonight.

An early effort from Juraj Kucka, who volleyed Omar Milanetto's corner wide in the eighth minute, was a rare chance for the home side, who spent much of the first half on the back foot. Milan's three-man strike force of Robinho, Pato and Zlatan Ibrahimovic kept the Genoa defence on their toes and a one-two between Robinho and Pato in the ninth minute led to the former shooting over the crossbar.

Pato's cross towards Ibrahimovic in the 27th minute required Domenico Crisicito to head the ball behind, although he almost put the ball into his own goal. Two minutes later, an error by Dario Dainelli, who gifted the ball to Ibrahimovic, proved costly. The Swede's cross picked out Pato, who beat Eduardo from close range to put the Rossoneri ahead. Milan's attacking trio combined again in the 33rd minute with Pato's shot deflected behind off Dainelli.

Flores fights back
Genoa woke up with Floro Flores' 25-yard free-kick tipped over the crossbar by Christian Abbiati in the 42nd minute, and three minutes later, on the stroke of half-time, they levelled. Floro Flores beat the offside trap to bear down on Abbiati, and he kept his cool to slot the ball into the bottom corner as the retreating Milan defenders closed in.

Marco Rossi saved Genoa from a rude awakening in the second half as he dived in to put Robinho off as he prepared to shoot from eight yards out in the 49th minute. A new wave of Milan pressure saw Pato's header find Ibrahimovic at the far post, but Eduardo closed him down to divert his header behind.

Genoa responded with a good spell of pressure as the game opened up heading into the last 20 minutes.  Dainelli risked giving away a penalty as he appeared to wrap his arms around Ibrahimovic inside the penalty area while Kaladze raced back to clear the ball off the Milan striker's toe in the 78th minute.