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Internazionale beat Udinese 1-0 to go back to the top of the Serie A table as Milan dropped points at Lecce.

Inter substitute Julio Cruz struck with just seconds remaining at the Giuseppe Meazza, turning around what had been a largely frustrating afternoon for the defending champions.

And in the late game, city rivals Milan failed to reclaim top spot after an injury time header from Andrea Esposito cancelled out Ronaldinho's strike 11 minutes from time to earn Lecce a point in a 1-1 draw.

Napoli, on the same points as Milan in second place, beat Sampdoria 2-0 while Lazio are fourth after defeating Siena 3-0 at home thanks to a brace by Tommaso Rocchi and Mauro Zarate's goal.

Alessandro Del Piero celebrated his 34th birthday by scoring a third free kick in a week to help Juventus to a 2-0 win at lowly Chievo which puts them joint-fifth with Udinese.

Internazionale 1-0 Udinese

In a first half where defences prevailed, it was Patrick Vieira who impressed the most, and indeed he was the first to get the Inter fans out of their seats, whistling a shot past the post after being set up by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Fabio Quagliarella's exuberance kept Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba on their toes in the heart of the Inter back four, though too often the Udinese man's eagerness got the better of him, and he was stopped in his tracks by a succession of marginal offside decisions.

Esteban Cambiasso threatened with a well-time run into the Udinese area just before the end of the half, only to be narrowly eluded by Douglas Maicon's cross, while Ricardo Quaresma shot straight at Samir Handanovic when a square ball to Ibrahimovic would have been a better option.

Mourinho repalced Quaresma with Cruz at half time, though it was Udinese who almost took the lead right at the start of the second half, with Alberto Floro Flores dancing into the area, only to be denied by a fine low save from Julio Cesar.

A tight second half seemed suggest a goalless draw would be inevitable, though Inter signalled the danger was not over when Javier Zanetti crashed a low drive off the bottom of the post with the clock ticking down, and when they won a corner deep in injury time, Cruz was in the right position to head home past the hapless Handanovic.

Lecce 1-1 Milan

Milan started the weekend on top but are now second behind Inter after Lecce substitute Andrea Esposito headed in a free-kick deep into injury time.

Ronaldinho had put Milan ahead 11 minutes from time following a cross with his first touch by substitute Alexandre Pato.

Milan piled on huge pressure throughout the game with striker Marco Borriello somehow blasting over from almost underneath the bar and Kaka missing a great chance while Lecce's Guillermo Giacomazzi headed wide when it looked easier to score.

Catania 2-1 Cagliari

Rocco Sabato won it for the hosts three minutes from time. The visitors went ahead through Jeda's early header from a corner which sneaked into the net but Giuseppe Mascara equalised with a scuffed, angled shot eight minutes before the break.

Chievo 0-2 Juventus

Evergreen Juve forward Alessandro Del Piero marked his 34th birthday with a third goal from a free kick in a week to help Juve to victory in Domenico Di Carlo's first game in charge of second-from-bottom Chievo. Vincenzo Iaquinta added the second on the rebound from a saved penalty after Andrea Mantovani had handled.

Fiorentina 2-1 Atalanta

Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo netted his first goal for Fiorentina with a long-range effort that trickled into the corner and soon after Alberto Gilardino tapped in to double the lead on 23 minutes. Sergio Floccari's penalty 13 minutes from time after Gianluca Comotto's handball gave the away side hope but it was too late.

Genoa 4-0 Reggina

Striker Diego Milito's second-half hat-trick gave surging Genoa another easy three points. His penalty put the home side ahead after Andrea Gasbarroni had been sandwiched in the box, he headed in a second and then scooped in another off the ground late on. Giuseppe Sculli scored Genoa's third but bottom side Reggina were unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet and had Andrea Costa harshly dismissed for two yellow cards just before the break.

Lazio 3-0 Siena

Siena had a number of early chances but paid the price for their profligacy when resurgent Lazio stormed to victory in the second half. Argentine striker Mauro Zarate bent in a superb free kick before substitute Tommaso Rocchi netted twice late on.

Napoli 2-0 Sampdoria

Napoli continue to hover near the top after midfielder Daniele Mannini set them on their way by sliding home Ezequiel Lavezzi's cross after a quick break. Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano had a goal wrongly chalked off for offside before Marcelo Zalayeta tapped in to secure Napoli's victory on 74 minutes.

Eurosport / Reuters