Milan, Sep 27 (IANS): AC Milan chalked up their first home win of the season when they beat Cagliari 2-0, thanks to a brace from El Shaarawy.

El Shaarawy scored Rossoneri's first goal at the San Siro this season and then followed up with a second to wrap up the win, which could considerably allayed the pressure for the under-fire Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri, Xinhua reports.

Cagliari enjoyed dominant spells but were made to pay for Mauricio Pinilla's profligacy, never really recovering from Daniele Conti's dismissal for an altercation with Giampaolo Pazzini.

Mauro Tassotti, who was on the bench for Milan's victory as Allegri was banned for the game, revealed the Milan side did not play their best.

"We are happy with the result and earned three points while knowing how to suffer for it. We knew it would be this type of match," he said.

"It wasn't easy to play well with this tension and we've got to try to take the initiative against every opponent, as we are Milan. Clearly we've got to play better than we did this evening, but the team can improve with more confidence," he said.

Napoli proved their credentials to contend for the title after they beat Lazio 3-0.

Edinson Cavani scored a brilliant hat-trick. The Uruguayan could even afford to miss a second half penalty as the home side dominated the game against a Lazio side who have now lost two in a row after Sunday's shock home loss to Genoa.

Inter Milan put their shock home defeat to Siena behind with a battling 2-0 victory over struggling Chievo.

Alvaro Pereira put Inter ahead just before the break and substitute Antonio Cassano doubled the lead 16 minutes from time as Inter bounced back from their 2-0 San Siro loss to bottom-placed Siena on Sunday.

The victory is Inter's third of the season and lifts them into the top four, while Chievo have now lost four successive matches since an opening day win over Bologna and they remain rooted near the foot of the standings.

Roma were held 1-1 at home by Sampdoria, who equalised after going down to 10 men.

A wonder goal from Vladimir Weiss earned promoted Pescara their 1-0 victory in almost two decades at the expense of struggling Palermo.

Stefano Colantuono found little to celebrate on the occasion of his 400th match as a manager as his Atalanta team slid to a 1-2 away defeat.

Torino and Udinese played out a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Olimpico with the Bianconeri refused a winner in stoppage time.