Christian Panucci's second half header sent Roma to within four points of Serie A leaders Inter, but they were far from convincing in their 2-1 victory against struggling Empoli.

The hosts, desperate to bounce back from their derby defeat against bitter rivals Lazio in midweek, started brightly and David Pizarro fired narrowly over with a superb drive from distance.

Empoli took time to find their feet at a half-empty Olympic Stadium, but from their first attack in the 14th minute Sebastian Giovinco forced Doni into a fine save with a stinging shot from just outside the penalty area.

Giovinco, who was superb throughout for the visitors, had his hands in his head twice soon after one curling shot flew inches wide and then a splendid dipping effort from 30 yards bounced off the post and to safety.

Just when the home supporters were starting to show their frustration, Roma took the lead in the 35th minute when Francesco Totti's clever backheel set up Max Tonetto to fire home inside the near post.

The second half was all set up Roma to press home their advantage, but things certainly didn't go according to plan for the hosts.

Firstly Empoli caught them on the break with an equaliser after 49 minutes, a fine low cross from Claudio Marchisio gleefully tucked away by Giovinco.

Eight minutes later the referee incurred the wrath of the Roman crowd when he sent off Simone Perrotta, for a challenge that was mistimed but hardly looked malicious, and was certainly undeserving of a red card.

The frustration galvanised Roma however, and they retook the lead courtesy of Panicci in the 64th minute, as the defender outjumped everybody and powerfully headed home from Pizarro's free-kick.

As the game wore on Roma enjoyed most of the possession but in the closing stages they seemed largely content to sit back and protect their advantage, and had to hurriedly scramble the ball away from inside their own area on more than occasion.

Fiorentina consolidated fourth place, worth a slot in the Champions League qualifiers, by beating 10-man Lazio 1-0 at home thanks to Giampaolo Pazzini's second-half goal. Lazio's Massimo Mutarelli was red-carded in the 37th minute.

In Florence, the hosts pressed hard after Lazio midfielder Mutarelli went for two bookings in quick succession, although the Romans were dangerous on the counterattack.

Pazzini, who had hit the crossbar after a goalmouth scramble at the start of the second half, settled the game with a right-footed shot from the edge of the area 13 minutes from time.

AC Milan remain four points behind the Florence side in fifth after Alexandre Pato gave them a 1-0 win at Torino.

European champions Milan came close with free kicks by

Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf in the first half in Turin, while Alberto Gilardino and Pato squandered good chances.

After the break, Seedorf hit the crossbar and Gilardino fluffed another fine opportunity before Brazilian 18-year-old Pato tapped in after 66 minutes.

Italian media speculated that coach Francesco Guidolin's fourth stint on the Palermo bench could be coming to an end after the Sicilians suffered their third consecutive defeat, going down 3-2 at home to Genoa.

Brazilian striker Amauri drilled in a dubious spot-kick to open the score for Palermo in the 24th minute.

Genoa's Argentine striker Luciano Figueroa levelled with a fine left-footed strike five minutes later and laid on Omar Milanetto's goal five minutes into the second half.

Abdoulay Konko gave the visitors a cushion 11 minutes later, before Amauri completed his double in stoppage time.

Goalkeeper Ciro Polito saved a Cristiano Doni penalty in the first half to secure a draw at Atalanta for Catania, who have only won one league game in 2008.

Two goals by Massimo Maccarone, the first an 88th minute penalty, snatched a 2-0 victory over Parma for Siena at the death.

Parma midfielder Andrea Gasbarroni hit the post with a right-footed shot in the first half.

A stoppage-time strike from outside the area by Franco Brienza, his fourth goal in three games, gave Reggina a deserved 1-1 draw after Roberto Sosa had scored for Napoli in the 76th minute.

Daniele Franceschini's stoppage-time header gave Sampdoria a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Cagliari. Pasquale Foggia chipped Samp keeper Luca Castellazzi to score for the basement side three minutes before the break.

Udinese beat Livorno 2-0 at home. Fabio Quagliarella opened the scoring for Udinese in the 20th minute with a powerful long-range effort. Fellow Italy forward Antonio Di Natale latched on to a loose ball and fired in a diagonal shot just after the break.

Nick Metcalfe / Eurosport / Reuters