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Samuel Eto'o earned Serie A leaders Internazionale a 1-1 draw with Roma at the San Siro, while their city rivals AC Milan climbed to third with a 2-1 win at troubled Lazio.

The Cameroon forward (pictured) controlled a Thiago Motta pass, spun around and drove home a diagonal strike just after the break to cancel out Mirko Vucinic's first-half goal.

The champions now have 29 points from 12 games, five more than second-placed Juventus, who won 5-2 at Atalanta on Saturday. Inter started the weekend with a seven-point lead.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho had said former title challengers Roma were dangerous despite being in the lower half of the table and missing injured players such as captain Francesco Totti.

He was proved right in the 13th minute when Montenegro striker Vucinic put the visitors in front with a looping header to make amends after his dithering had allowed Inter's defence to recover when he was clean through soon after kickoff.

Inter had keeper Julio Cesar to thank for keeping them on level terms after Eto'o's goal when he produced a fine save to repel a powerful Jeremy Menez shot after the hour mark.

Milan breathed new life into their Serie A challenge with their superb 2-1 triumph over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Brazilians Thiago Silva and Alexandre Pato both netted in the first half to set up victory for Milan, who move to within six points of rivals Inter at the top of Serie A.

Leonardo's side have shown signs that they are gelling in recent weeks, taking four points off Real Madrid in the Champions League, and they produced a very professional display at Lazio.

Boasting a supply line of Ronaldinho, Pirlo, Seedorf and Pato, the Rossoneri always look like scoring, while their defence was imperiously led by Alessandro Nesta.

Pirlo provided the key to unlock the Lazio defence, sending a simply devilish free kick to the near post where Thiago Silva stole in for 1-0.

The second goal came in similar fashion, this time from open play, as two of their golden Brazilians combined to devastating effect.

Ronaldinho was the creator as he whipped in a testing left wing cross, and Pato showed all the necessary desire to get across his man and power home a terrific header into the far corner for 2-0.

The game looked over at half time, yet Lazio made a tactical change to move Mauro Zarate behind two strikers, and the little man gave Milan a torrid time in the second half, bamboozling the defence to halve the deficit.

The former Birmingham man drew two defenders before smashing goalwards, and his shot took two huge deflections before wrong-footing Dida.

Zarate kept driving his men forward looking for an equaliser, but in the end it was Mathieu Flamini who came closest to finishing things for Milan, hitting a superb volley that needed a wonder save from Fernando Muslera.

Victory takes Milan above Sampdoria, who went down 2-0 at Cagliari.

Marius Stankevicius saw red for Sampdoria for a dangerous foul just before half time, and the visitors eventually collapsed with five minutes remaining as Daniele Conti and Alessandro Matri secured the win for Cagliari.

Liverpool's Champions League enemies Fiorentina remain in good form, beating Udinese 1-0 away from home despite the loss of Adrian Mutu to injury.

Juan Manuel Vargas was the man to net the winning goal five minutes from time, lifting Fiorentina to seventh.

At the bottom, basement battlers Siena look a condemned side after they were trounced 4-2 by Genoa at Luigi Ferraris.

Former Chelsea man Hernan Crespo scored two poacher's efforts for the home side, before Raffaele Palladino added a third to send Genoa into half time 3-0 up.

However, two goals in the space of a minute from Michele Paolucci and Massimo Maccarone threatened an unlikely comeback, before Sergio Floccari killed things off at the death.

Livorno also drop into the relegation zone after going down 1-0 at Bari, Riccardo Allegretti netting a fine first half free kick to split the two sides.

Bologna did their survival hopes the power of good though, leaping above Lazio with a 3-1 triumph at home to Palermo.

Marcelo Zalayeta was effectively the difference, pouncing on two loose balls either side of Simon Kjaer's scrappy leveller.

Strike partner Marco Di Vaio then made sure of a crucial three points for Bologna, scoring in injury time to wrap things up.

In the day's other game, Parma beat Chievo 2-0 thanks to goal from Cristian Zaccardo and Davide Lanzafame.

Ben Blackmore / Reuters