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Milan fought back from a goal down with Andrea Pirlo's late winner on Ronaldo's debut after Kaka had seen his penalty saved.

Il Fenomeno had not played a competitive match since May, but was finally ready to lead the line, especially as Clarence Seedorf, Pippo Inzaghi, Kakha Kaladze and Marek Jankulovski were sidelined. Cagliari had their own debut, as Coach Nedo Sonetti took over from Marco Giampaolo. The Rossoneri were undefeated here in Serie A since a 1-0 result on October 18, 1998, although last season they were held to a 2-2 draw.

There was a minute's silence ahead of every game this weekend for Italian soldier Daniele Paladino, who was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.

It took less than four minutes for Cagliari to take the lead. Once again a corner kick proved disastrous for the Rossoneri defence, as Massimo Oddo lost sight of Robert Acquafresca and Nelson Dida failed to come out, so the Under-21 international turned in the header.

Paolo Maldini took matters into his own hands with a left-foot strike from distance that tested Marco Fortin, but the Sardinians threatened again when Pasquale Foggia's pass flashed across the face of goal with nobody able to get on the end of it.

Dida spilled a Foggia counter and Alberto Gilardino's glancing header from a corner caused concerns. Ronaldo turned between two defenders, but lost his footing and a defender came flying in with the tackle.

Gennaro Gattuso headed Kaka's cross into the path of Ronaldo, who was held back by Paolo Bianco. Kaka stepped up, but his penalty was saved by Fortin and on the follow-up Maldini struck the side-netting.

After the restart the Sardinians remained in control, as Bianco's glancing header whistled across the face of goal. Yet Ronaldo was unlucky not to equalise when he turned the ball on to the base of the upright with the inside of his right foot.

Serginho's angled drive was deflected inches past the far post, while Massimo Ambrosini went off injured, pushing Serginho further up the field.

Milan finally drew level with Gilardino's acrobatic finish, as he had to jump up and flick Serginho's deflected cross in off the outside of his right foot from six yards to avoid the goalkeeper's intervention.

Cagliari almost restored their advantage moments later, as Acquafresca ran down the right flank and squeezed his shot from the narrowest of angles past both Alessandro Nesta and Dida, but Daniele Bonera performed a decisive last-gasp goalline clearance.

Bianco risked an own goal as he anticipated Gilardino at the near post, but the resulting Andrea Pirlo corner came out to substitute Marcos Cafu for a sensational volley that skimmed the crossbar.

Dida smothered a Parola snapshot from the edge of the box, but Milan turned it all around five minutes from time with a Pirlo free kick. His right-foot effort swung over the wall and seemed to take Fortin by surprise, as it was relatively central.

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Cagliari: Fortin; Ferri, Lopez (Bizera 74), Bianco, Agostini; Biondini, Conti, Parola; Foggia (Larrivey 87); Matri (Fini 66), Acquafresca

Milan: Dida; Oddo (Cafu 70), Nesta, Maldini, Serginho; Gattuso (Brocchi 79), Pirlo, Ambrosini (Bonera 58); Kakà; Ronaldo, Gilardino

Ref: Dondarini

Missed penalty: Kaka 43 (M)

Channel 4