ROME - Roma closed the gap on Serie A leaders Internazionale to three points on Saturday night after scoring two goals in three minutes to see off AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.
Kaka opened the scoring in the 56th minute to seemingly put the visitors on course to extend their 10-game unbeaten run in Serie A.
However, substitutes Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic netted after 78 and 81 minutes respectively to secure the three points for Roma, who have now won three consecutive top-flight games.
The result leaves Milan one point behind Fiorentina, who host Genoa on Sunday, in the race for the final Champions League qualifying spot.
Carlo Ancelotti was boosted by the return of Gennaro Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf to the starting line-up, with Christian Panucci slotting into the centre of Roma's defence in the absence of Phillipe Mexes.
Milan had the better of early exchanges, but Seedorf's sixth-minute free-kick went wide and, after Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni underwent lengthy treatment for injury, Massimo Oddo missed the target from six yards in the 22nd minute.
Roma soon worked their way into the increasingly up-tempo game, Mancini missing the target with a 25th-minute bicycle kick.
Milan looked to respond, but Kaka could only produce two weak headers on 26 and 38 minutes.
Doni was called into action three minutes before the break, rushing out to deny Alexandre Pato with his chest after clever play by Andrea Pirlo.
Francesco Totti crossed to David Pizarro as half-time approached, but the Chilean shot wide from inside the penalty area.
Milan began the second half brightly, Seedorf involved in several good opportunities.
The 31-year-old passed deftly to Kaka on 50 minutes, but his shot was saved by Doni at the second attempt.
Cicinho anticipated Seedorf's 53rd-minute run and intercepted Oddo's cross on the edge of the area, although the Dutch midfielder did power a chance at goal seconds later which was well saved by Doni.
The Roma stopper had little chance with Kaka's opener, however, as the FIFA World Player of the Year converted an Oddo cross with a powerful left-footed strike from inside the six-yard box.
Vucinic then came off the bench to replace Mancini, and was joined on the pitch six minutes later by Giuly who came on for David Pizarro.
A minute after Kaka's shot was tipped over the crossbar by Doni, Vucinic had a chance to equalise with a low snap-shot which Zeljko Kalac stretched well to save.
Seedorf had to be replaced with 18 minutes left due to a muscular injury, as Roma began to dominate.
After 74 minutes, Vucinic was set up by a Totti back-heel but fired over.
Giuly did manage to equalise four minutes later, though, beating Kalac to a cross and slotting the ball into the right side of the goal.
Three minutes later, Roma took the lead as Daniele De Rossi fed Vucinic, who fired into the net to the left of the advancing Kalac.
With four minutes to go, Kaka was forced to leave the pitch with back pain, though his replacement Alberto Paloschi had little time to change the course of the game as Roma held on for a vital victory in the race for the Scudetto.
