Becks scores as Milan win

The England midfielder, on-loan from LA Galaxy, fired a powerful shot into the top-right corner to cap a flowing counter attack.

Milan were already 3-1 at that point after two goals from Kaka and a close-range finish from Clarence Seedorf overturned Marco Di Vaio's early penalty.

Bologna were a man light for the best part of the match after Gaby Mudingayi was sent off on 40 minutes when he received two yellow cards for crude challenges on Alexandre Pato.

Until the dismissal it was a frantic, end-to-end match with Bologna equal to their more illustrious guests but denied by a string of fine saves from in-form goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.

Abbiati, 31, was the bright hope of Italian goalkeeping until the emergence of Gianluigi Buffon, and his club career stalled when the club signed Dida.

But after returning from loan spells at Torino and Atletico Madrid, Abbiati is surely pushing for a recall to the national team and another good performance saw him deny Di Vaio what would have been a deserved hat-trick.

Despite Abbiati's performance, the praise will be heaped on Beckham – who has improved with each of his three games for the Rossoneri and was given the man-of-the-match award for his hard running and clever use of the ball – and Kaka, whose goals and guile delighted the visiting crowd. The Brazilian even drew applause from Bologna's fans in the light of his decision to shun the cash of Manchester City to stay in Italy.

An exhilarating start saw the hosts take the lead when, on nine minutes, Philippe Senderos was adjudged to have nudged Christian Amoroso after the former Fiorentina man went on a mazy dribble.

Di Vaio emphatically placed the spot-kick into the top right corner, but Milan were level four minutes later when Bologna keeper Francesco Antonioli parried Kaka's shot into the path of Seedorf, who rifled the ball in from an angle on the left.

The visiting side went ahead on 16 minutes when Gianluca Zambrotta burst into the Bologna box and went down in a tangle of legs with defender Davide Bomardini.

Kaka despatched the spot-kick and Milan were in control.

Pato had a much better call for a penalty turned down 60 seconds later when he was clearly tripped by Claudio Terzi, but referee Paolo Tagliavento waved play on.

The pace of the game slowed for a period and the dismissal of Mudingayi ended any hopes of a Bologna comeback.

Two minutes after the Belgium midfielder saw red, Kaka extended his side's lead with a superb individual strike from the edge of the box to the helpless Antonioli's right.

The Brazil star should have sealed his hat-trick when, seven minutes into the second half, he scuffed a finish from close range after a quick break set Seedorf free on the left.

Beckham's goal on the hour mark came from another Seedorf-led counter attack and was sandwiched by two top saves from Abbiati to deny Di Vaio.

Ronaldinho – who must be wondering when his next start is going to come – was sent on for a brief cameo and he almost scored with an audacious lob, while Beckham made Bologna work hard with some good crosses and two shots that narrowly missed the target.

The win puts Milan only three points behind first-placed Juventus and second-placed Internazionale, although Jose Mourinho's side can go top again if they beat Sampdoria later on Sunday.