By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 11:11 a.m. ET May 3, 2012
ROME (AP) -The Serie A title chase has taken a surprising turn with only two rounds remaining, leaving Juventus with just a one-point lead over AC Milan.
Juventus looked set to keep its three-point lead intact until an error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon handed 10-man Lecce a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw Wednesday.
"It was like missing a score two meters from the goal," Juventus manager Antonio Conte said.
The error was all the more surprising coming from Buffon, one of the standouts of Italy's 2006 World Cup victory.
"Gigi is having an extraordinary season and he, like everyone else, has the strength and capacity to remain calm," Conte said. "We've used our bonus and now we must win our last two matches."
Unbeaten Juventus can still clinch its first title since before the 2006 match-fixing scandal if it wins at Cagliari on Sunday and Milan doesn't beat Inter in a derby.
In the final round of matches May 13, Juventus hosts Atalanta and Milan faces Novara, which was relegated Wednesday with a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina - a match marred by Fiorentina manager Delio Rossi physically attacking Adem Ljajic after the forward protested his first-half substitution.
As far as Conte sees it, Juventus has overachieved this season after finishing seventh the past two years.
"We're in a place now where if you had asked us at the beginning of the season we would have signed up for this a thousand times," he said.
For Milan, Buffon's error opened a ray of light in a title chase that seemed closed. Juve had won eight straight.
"Watching Juventus over the last eight matches it seemed difficult to think they could have a misstep at home, but we're happy," Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri said. "Impossible things are the most beautiful things and you've always got to give your maximum to achieve them. We still haven't fully realized that we're just one point behind, but all I needed to see was how the guys reacted to Lecce's equalizer to see how much they believe."
However, Milan faces a tricky match against city rival Inter, which is battling for third place and the final Champions League berth.
"We're either going to give a favor to Juve or to Milan," Inter president Massimo Moratti said. "Which one would be better? They're both the same."
League officials have moved the Cagliari-Juve match to 8:45 p.m. (1945 GMT) so it will be played at the same time as the Milan derby.
"I've never understood the difference in playing early or late," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said. "In the end, you need to win and that's all."
Napoli and Udinese are tied for third, although Napoli holds the tiebreaker with a better head-to-head record. Lazio is two points back and Inter is three points behind.
Napoli visits Bologna, Udinese hosts Genoa and Lazio is at Atalanta.
Besides Novara, last-place Cesena has also been relegated, with Genoa three points ahead of Lecce in the fight to avoid the last drop spot.
On Saturday, Lecce hosts Fiorentina, which will be coached by club manager Vincenzo Guerini for the final two matches after Rossi was fired for his actions - marking the 19th coaching change in the 20-team league this season.
Also Saturday, Roma hosts Catania with Roma acknowledging that manager Luis Enrique could step aside at the end of a disappointing first season under new American ownership.
In Sunday's other matches, it's: Siena vs. Parma; Novara vs. Cesena; and Palermo vs. Chievo Verona.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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