A Daniele De Rossi penalty gave Roma all three points in a thrilling 3-2 win over Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico despite a spirited second half comeback from the visitors. In the late game, Milan kept alive their hopes of European qualification with a 3-1 win over Cagliari.

Roma 3-2 Genoa

First half strikes from Rodrgio Taddei and Mirko Vucinic had put Roma in the driving seat, only for two second half goals in the space of a minute - from Marco Rossi and Leon - to bring Genoa back level.

But De Rossi coolly slotted home from the penalty spot with just ten minutes remaining to restore the Giallorossi's lead and cut the gap on league leaders Internazionale - who play Atalanta in Bergamo on Sunday - to a single point.

Initially Roma displayed no signs of a European hangover following their midweek Champions League defeat to Manchester United and the hosts raced out of the blocks to take a two-goal lead after just 17 minutes.

Taddei - part of the Roma side which failed to break down United's defence on Tuesday - managed to find a way through the Genoa back line to break the deadlock on 14 minutes.

Aesthetically, it was not the greatest goal the Roma tifosi will ever see, but at such a crucial stage of the season, few in the Olimpico will have argued as the Brazilian scrambled the ball over the line at the second attempt from Cassetti's far post cross.

But if that goal left the locals feeling somewhat short-changed, Vucinic came to their aid with the Giallorossi's second, a stunning first time hit from 25 yards that flew into the top corner.

The strike even brought the watching Francesco Totti to his feet in the stands - a sure sign that this was a goal to be treasured.

Two goals to the good at half-time and all but the most staunch Grifone fan held out any hope the visitors would be able to get back into the match, but two goals in a minute soon changed that thinking.

Perhaps Roma's midweek travails finally caught up with them as they allowed first Rossi and then Leon to find the back of the net and completely change the dynamic of the game.

Rossi pounced from close range in the 58th minute after Roma keeper Doni spilled a Marco Borriello effort, before Leon brought Genoa back on level terms a minute later with a well-hot 25-yard shot.

It was an unlikely turnaround, and one that Roma could barely afford given such a tight situation at the top of Serie A.

Coach Luciano Spalletti responded, sending on Mancini to spark his side back into life. But ultimately it was Taddei who again played a crucial role in proceedings, haring into the box before being brought down by a rash Borriello tackle.

De Rossi kept his cool from the spot to heap the pressure back on Inter's shoulders - and give Roma a confidence boosting win ahead of next week's second leg against United.

Milan 3-1 Cagliari

Milan survived a brief fight-back at the San Siro, as a brace from Pippo Inzaghi and one from Kaka gave the Rossoneri just their fifth home win of the season so far.

Knowing defeat would have delivered a catastrophic blow to their hopes of qualification for European competition next season, Carlo Ancelotti's side responded well, taking all three points and moving into fifth place, a point behind Fiorentina in the final Champions League spot.

Milan's home record this season has been awful - they have lost four and drawn seven so far - but Kaka eased fears of yet another slip-up at the San Siro with a typically stylish strike early on.

The Brazilian swooped as early as the seventh minute, firing past Marco Storari - at Cagliari on loan from Milan - from the edge of the penalty area to send Milan on their way.

The goal calmed any Milan nerves that may have existed and Inzaghi doubled the Rossoneri's lead just after the half-hour mark, heading home from close range, again in trademark fashion.

Milan began to play with a degree of confidence rarely seen at the San Siro this campaign but a contender for blunder of the season from keeper Zeljko Kalac soon after the break threatened to derail their game.

The Australian somehow let a Daniele Conti free kick squirm free from his grasp, the ball squeezing under his body and into the back of the net on 49 minutes.

The slip-up appeared to affect Milan's fluency for a while and Cagliari, as Genoa had in Rome, sensed they could get something from the game.

But it proved only to be a temporary loss of confidence, as the Rossoneri stepped up a gear and stamped their authority on the match once more, Inzaghi sealing all three points with his second - a neat finish at the second attempt after having failed to round Storari - in the 69th minute.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport