Serie A - Inter go eight clear as Milan draw

Eurosport - Sun, 08 Feb 10:41:00 2009

Internazionale went eight points clear at the top of Serie A as they beat Lecce 3-0 and Milan were held 1-1 at home to Reggina.

2008-2009 Milan-Reggina David Beckham - 0

David Beckham made his fifth consecutive start for the Rossoneri after it was revealed he had been the subject of an unsuccessful $10 million (£6.7m) bid from Milan to LA Galaxy.

The 33-year-old, who has been restored to Fabio Capello's England squad following his impressive form for Milan, provided his usual supply line of crosses and dead-ball deliveries but could not lift a below-par team performance.

Kaka sent an early overhead kick wide, while Alexandre Pato and Massimo Ambrosini forced Reggina keeper Andrea Campagnolo into a fine double save.

Brazilian star Ronaldinho played instead of Clarence Seedorf and started impressively before fading.

Reggina went in front just after the half-hour mark, when Davide Di Gennaro fired a low shot into the left corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Seedorf replaced Ronaldinho early in the second half and thought he had scored when he followed up after Kaka hit the post, but the Dutchman was correctly adjudged to have controlled with his hand.

With a quarter of the match remaining, Matej Krajcik upended Pato in the Reggina box and Kaka converted the spot-kick, sending Campagnolo the wrong way.

The expected onslaught from the home side never materialised, and it was Reggina's former Manchester City man Bernardo Corradi who came closest to winning it, firing just wide in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

LECCE 0-3 INTERNAZIONALE

Luis Figo scored his first goal of the season to help Inter secure a 3-0 win at struggling Lecce.

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic slammed in the opener on 12 minutes before midfielders Figo and Dejan Stankovic headed home in the second half.

The champions, who nervously drew 1-1 at home to Torino last weekend, have an eight-point lead over Milan but Juventus can reduce the gap to seven if they beat Catania on Sunday.

Fourth-from-bottom Lecce had some decent opportunities to equalise at 1-0 as they remained four points above the drop zone.

Swedish talisman Ibrahimovic fired his 14th league goal of the campaign after the busy Esteban Cambiasso laid the ball off having pretended to shoot.

Lecce defender Guglielmo Stendardo then had the best chance for the hosts but Julio Cesar saved his header.

Inter's Maicon somehow missed from close range after the break but Figo, 36, made sure they would not regret it when he headed in a cross from teenage left back Davide Santon in the 71st minute.

The former Portugal captain, used sparingly this term having put off retirement at the end of last season, had not scored a league goal since a 3-0 win over Sampdoria in September 2007.

Stankovic nodded in a third late on having again been a driving force for Inter, who operated with the Serbian and Figo behind lone front man Ibrahimovic.

Alex Chick + Reuters / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 8 of 8

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  1. can't wait till the games V man utd

    From anthony h, on Sun 8 Feb 11:51AM

  2. Milan and JUve haven't the power of reaching­ inter!Inter is very tough now!Milan will have problems­ by the end of this season by these old players!If Milan­ wants back its performance they should rebiuld their­ squad by young talented players like Arsenal.Any­ way...FORZA INTER!!!!!!!!!

    From mehdi A, on Sun 8 Feb 9:04AM

  3. Inter will be champions..... Milan has a bunch of ­ seasoned player with the exception of Pato. Milan­ should rebuild and get back into the champions league.­ To win the serie A this season is more of a dream.­

    Inter 4eva!!

    From Abel Liew Wen Wei, on Sun 8 Feb 7:01AM

  4. AC Milan was robbed by the referee, poor judgement, on­ the Clarence Seedorf goal, as always is with­ inexperience Italian referees. Clarence Seedorf goal­ should have been allowed because it was an­ unintentionally hand ball, the ball accidentally­ touched his arm after bouncing on his knee. At any­ rate AC Milan played very well for 90 mintutes and they­ were unlucky once again. David Beckham played very well­ in the position that Ancelotti has assign him. David­ Beckham made a wonderful statement after the match,­ when he said, I'm a lucky man today that I'm­ playing with the most glorious club in the world,­ yesterday I played with the second most glorious club­ in the World Real and of course when I played in­ England M.U.the third most glorious club in the world,­ now I want to finish my career in Italy with Rossoneri­ because I love AC Milan + I love my teammates­ especially Paolo Maldini who has become already a great­ friend....

    From dante, on Sun 8 Feb 3:07AM

  5. AC Milan was robbed by the referee, poor judgement, on­ the Clarence Seedorf goal, as always is with­ inexperience Italian referees. Clarence Seedorf goal­ should have been allowed because it was an­ unintentionally hand ball, the ball accidentally­ touched his arm after bouncing on his knee. At any­ rate AC Milan played very well for 90 mintutes and they­ were unlucky once again. David Beckham played very well­ in the position that Ancelotti has assign him. David­ Beckham made a wonderful statement after the match,­ when he said, I'm a lucky man today that I'm­ playing with the most glorious club in the world,­ yesterday I played with the second most glorious club­ in the World Real and of course when I played in­ England M.U.the third most glorious club in the world,­ now I want to finish my career in Italy with Rossoneri­ because I love AC Milan + I love my teammates­ especially Paolo Maldini who has become already a great­ friend....

    From dante, on Sun 8 Feb 3:06AM

  6. I read that the BBC is showing the Derby Della Madonina­ next week. SERIE A RETURNS TO THE UK?!?? COULD IT BE???

    From justin, on Sun 8 Feb 2:08AM

  7. it can't be a great game by Milan if they could not­ break Reginna down. Anyway, Forza Juvve..

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 8 Feb 1:36AM

  8. Great game by Milan. Just couldn't break Reggina­ down.
    It's gonna be an interesting derby next­ sunday.
    Oh and keep it up, Becks!

    From TT, on Sat 7 Feb 9:49PM
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