Internazionale extended their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points with a 2-0 win at Cagliari.

David Suazo turned in a man-of-the-match performance on his return to the club he left in the summer, scoring one, setting up the other and having several good chances.

The scoreline could have been even crueller on Cagliari, who started well but faded progressively as the match went on and were saved by a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing.

The hosts had the first two opportunities before the quarter hour mark, captain Daniele Conti - who was lucky not to see red late in the match after a nasty tackle left Christian Chivu with a foot-long gash on his lower leg - sending a low drive just wide of the left-hand post after a poor defensive header by Walter Samuel and Robert Aquafresca agonisingly close to finishing after Ivan Cordoba missed a routine clearance.

But Inter found their rhythm and Hernan Crespo - leading a three-man front line on account of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's suspension and a midfield injury crisis for Roberto Mancini - really should have put them ahead midway through the first half, sending a lay-off from Suazo wide when a striker of his finishing ability really should have scored.

Suazo had his first chance on 35 minutes, sending a brilliant, dipping effort from range off the bar, and nine minutes after the second half restart he missed an open goal that could have broken his resolve for the afternoon.

The Honduras international somehow poked wide after keeper Vincenzo Marruocco saved Chivu's shot, a quite shocking miss to add to the week's comedy selection of Jean-Claude Darcheville (for Rangers against Lyon), Shaun Wright-Phillips (for Chelsea against Arsenal) and Robin van Persie (for Arsenal in the same match).

But he made up for it only three minutes later, some great work on the edge of the box setting up Cruz to burst into the box and fire into the bottom corner on 57 minutes.

Inter were calmer now, Suazo forcing another good save from Marruocco and Cruz almost heading in Cesar's excellent cross. The resultant corner saw them double the lead with 12 minutes remaining, Marruocco saving expertly from Ivan Cordoba but Suazo was quickest to react in forcing it over the line and refusing to celebrate out of respect for his former employers.

Marruocco made one more good stop, from Cesar with seven minutes left, but Inter had the game won and helped pile more pressure on under fire Cagliari coach Nedo Sonetti.

Torino 0-0 Roma

Torino and Roma fought out a goalless draw in a game that saw home defender Gianluca Comotto sent-off late in the game for a challenge on Alessandro Mancini.

Third-placed Roma were missing talisman Francesco Totti and suspended striker Rodrigo Taddei while the home side meanwhile were without former Inter forward Alvaro Recoba.

By far the best chance of the match fell to Torino before half-time. The ball broke to far post where David di Michele advanced to side-foot home, only for Alessandro Rosina to inexplicably dive across him in an attempt to score himself - and the ball came off both of them and the post before exiting for a goal-kick.

Roma began the game brightly, holding the majority of possession while failing to truly threaten the Torino goal.

Bjelanovic and Hernan Paolo Dellafiore both went into the book for challenges born out of frustration as the Turin club struggled for the ball. However their midfield worked hard to get a hold of the play, veteran Eugenio Corini's industry allied to the lithe playmaking of Rosina too much at times for Roma to handle.

Daniele de Rossi was also booked for a dirty tackle on Bjelanovic in the middle of the park as Roma began to chase the ball. It seemed as though the match were destined to become interspersed with such penalties, but to the credit of the players it was kept largely clean from there, if combative.

Torino's dangerous striker Di Michele asked for two penalties - only the latter had any substance - either side of the best move of the match.

Corini won the ball deep and fed the front man, who had real presence, and his back-heel released Salvatore Lanna down the left. The ball across for Simone Barone was volleyed just wide of the near post and into the side-netting.

With minutes to go to the half-time break, Torino prompted disbelief from their vocal home support with the open-goal miss. However they continued to press after the interval, Di Michele's header at the far post ruled out for offside before his volleyed cross was somehow turned over the crossbar by Bjelanovic from five yards out.

Lanna's cross was headed against the bar by Bjelanovic and the Croatian tried again a minute later from provision by Corini, Doni this time at his near post to save.

There were a number of changes, with Rosina and the ineffective Ludovic Giuly replaced by Torino and Roma respectively as the teams settled back somewhat. Only in the final minutes did the occasion spring back to life.

Firstly Mirko Vucinic went down under a strong challenge and to Roma's chagrin was not given a penalty kick. As those protestations died away Gianluca Comotto was shown a red card as last man having pushed Mancini to the floor.

The free-kick was defended by Torino, who deserved more than the point they ended the game with.

Atalanta 1-3 Palermo

The Sicilians took the lead on 13 minutes through Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, who was almost on the goal-line when he headed in Cristian Zaccardo's cross.

Atalanta's Antonio Langella then scored an own-goal when Giuseppe Biava's header back across goal struck his arm on its way into the net.

Forward Amauri made it three when he turned in another good Zaccardo cross in the second period before the same player sliced into his own net when trying to clear a ball fizzed across goal.

Empoli 1-1 Genoa

Nicola Pozzi hit the post early on for the home side before much-talked about youngster Sebastian Giovinco calmly struck into the roof of the net on half-time.

Genoa grabbed the equaliser four minutes from time through Andrea Masiello.

Parma 3-0 Reggina

The hosts coasted to victory and sent hapless Reggina to the foot of the table.

On-loan Manchester City striker Bernardo Corradi nodded in Reginaldo's flighted cross midway through the first half to put Parma in front.

Andrea Pisanu extended Parma's advantage just after the interval and Massimo Paci added the gloss.

Sampdoria 2-2 Fiorentina

Home defender Daniele Gastaldello opened the scoring from close range on 18 minutes after Fiorentina goalkeeper Cristiano Lupatelli had spilled Cassano's cut-back from the by-line.

Adrian Mutu brought Fiorentina level five minutes before the break with a classy one-touch finish after the ball dropped over his head.

Marco Donadel then put the visitors ahead with a cracking strike 12 minutes into the second half before Antonio Cassano headed in the equaliser.

Siena 1-1 Napoli

Mario Frick put the home side ahead slightly against the run of play but Napoli quickly equalised on 64 minutes when Mariano Bogliacino struck.

Napoli had gone close on 31 minutes when defender Maurizio Domizzi's backheader from a corner hit the top of the bar while Marek Hamsik's cross nearly ended up in the goal moments later.

Reda Maher and Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport