Internazionale won their seventh game in a row as they came from behind to beat Lazio 2-1 at the San Siro.

Veteran striker Tommaso Rocchi opened the scoring for the away side, but goals from Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini stole the victory and ensured they continued their impressive form.

The result pushes Inter up to fourth in the table, just six points behind leaders Juventus, while Lazio slip back into fifth.

Inter were fortunate to go into the break on level terms after 45 minutes of uninspiring and static football. Lazio, by contrast, were inventive and created the first opportunity after a quarter of an hour.

It was the veteran Rocchi who scampered through after a mistake by Lucio, though the Brazilian got back well just as the Italian pulled the trigger. His slight touch forced the ball to dribble off the post as it beat the out rushing Julio Cesar.

Lazio got the breakthrough on the half hour with a special goal. Rocchi made a darting run across the penalty area, which Cristian Ledesma spotted with a ball down the inside right channel. The striker got ahead of Lucio and hit an unstoppable first time shot back across his body and into the far corner.

Andre Dias could have extended the lead just a couple of minutes later with a free header from a corner, and was made to rue his miss as on the stroke of half time Milito levelled. He played a one-two on the edge of the area with Ricardo Alvarez and hit a first time shot across Federico Marchetti, who probably should have done better.

Claudio Ranieri made two changes at half time, bringing on Wesley Sneijder and Joel Obi. The Dutchman made an immediate difference to Inter as he increased the tempo and urgency of the home side.

Just 10 minutes in he put in a cross that Pazzini should have done better with as he headed straight into the arms of Marchetti.

The winning goal though was a mix of defensive ineptitude and fantastic finishing. On 63 minutes Lucio headed a long clearance from the halfway line. Milito went to jump for it and made no contact, but Pazzini came from deep and inexplicably his run went untracked as he lofted the ball over the keeper, who was left stranded.

Two minutes later Miroslav Klose should have equalised, but he shot straight into the arms of Cesar from 12 yards. It followed a fantastic one-two between the German and Rocchi, in one of the few occasions they successfully linked up.

Inter shut up shop after that and comfortably saw out the final 25 minutes. Juventus and Milan will be nervously looking over their shoulders.

Tom Embury-Dennis / Eurosport