Filippo Inzaghi competitive bow as AC Milan manager began on a bright note following a 3-1 win over SS Lazio at the San Siro on the opening Serie A weekend which also witnessed wins for AS Roma, champions Juventus and newly promoted Cesena.

The former Italy and Milan striker put behind an underwhelming pre-season as Milan started brightly against Lazio and took a seventh minute lead through Keisuke Honda’s close range effort off a Stephan El-Shaarawy ball in.

Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari extended the Rossoneri’s lead early in the second half from close range before Jeremy Menez made it 3-0 from the spot just after the hour mark after being fouled in the area by debutante Stefan de Vrij.

Lazio pulled a goal back when Milan’s Brazilian defender Alex turned in a cross by Antonio Candreva as the visitors finished strong in search of equalising goals, with Stefano Mauri crashing a shot off the Milan crossbar and Candreva seeing a weak penalty kick saved by Diego Lopez as Milan held on for the win.

The result put Milan top of the standings, ahead of last season’s runners-up AS Roma that eased to a 2-0 win at home to Fiorentina courtesy of goals from Radja Nainggolan in the 28th minute and Gervinho in stoppage time.

Elsewhere, a Cristiano Biraghi own goal gave champions Juventus a lone goal win at Chievo Verona, Antonio di Natale scored twice in Udinese’s 2-0 win over newly promoted Empoli while Jonathan de Guzman’s 95th minute goal gave Napoli a last-gasp 2-1 win at Genoa.

Newly promoted Cesena got a lone goal win over Parma, Palermo drew 1-1 with Sampdoria as did Cagliari at Sassuolo while Nemanja Vidic’s Inter Milan debut ended on a low after he was sent off for dissent in stoppage time of the goalless draw at Torino, which missed a penalty earlier in the match.