Robinho controversy as Milan held at Catania

SaturdayCatania 1-1 MilanParma 3-1 LazioROME Serie A leaders AC Milan dropped two precious points by drawing 1-1 at Catania on Saturday in another match featuring controversy over a goalline clearance.Champions Milan have 64 points from 30 games but second-placed Juve will cut their lead to two points if they beat visiting Napoli on Sunday. Elsewhere, third-placed Lazio crashed to a 3-1 defeat at lowly Parma.Milan appeared to be on course for a fifth consecutive league win when Brazilian Robinho put them ahead in the 34th minute after a clever one-two with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.Nicolas Spolli, one of seven Argentines in the Catania starting line-up, then levelled for the Sicilians just before the hour.The visitors said later they should have been awarded a goal in the 71st minute when Robinho had a shot cleared off the line by Giovanni Marchese with goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo beaten.It was impossible to tell from television replays whether the ball went over the line and Milan players did not protest at the time but Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was adamant.“Robinho’s goal was valid,” said Allegri who usually avoids controversy.“This year we have been involved in four evenly-balanced games where decisions have gone against us,” he added in a television interview.The most controversial came in the key 1-1 draw with Juventus when, with Milan leading 1-0, a Sulley Muntari header clearly crossed the line but officials failed to spot it.