Eurosport - Mon, 25 Feb 10:35:00 2008
Roma cut Internazionale's lead at the top of Serie A to nine points with a 1-0 home win over Fiorentina, while Inter could only draw 1-1 at Sampdoria. Milan, meanwhile, came from behind to beat Palermo 2-1 at the San Siro with an injury-time winner from Filippo Inzaghi.
ROMA 1-0 FIORENTINA
Cicinho (pictured) scored the winner for Roma, finishing from close range after a Daniele De Rossi shot was blocked.
The strike was controversial as team-mate Francesco Totti was in an offside position when the initial shot was struck, although he was deemed to have not interfered with play.
It was the former Real Madrid full-back's first goal in Serie A, but the performance was marred by his dismissal for picking up a second yellow card in injury-time after kicking the ball away.
Fiorentina will be sweating on news of star striker Adrian Mutu, who was stretchered off with a knee injury after landing awkwardly in the first half.
- - - -
MILAN 2-1 PALERMO
Inzaghi won Milan their match when he stooped to head past Alberto Fontana into the bottom left corner. Palermo - who had a claim for a penalty turned down seconds earlier - were incensed by the decision to allow the goal, although replays implied that the veteran Italy striker was onside.
The ex-Juventus poacher had only been on the pitch for 17 minutes, his introduction for Alberto Gilardino an inspired decision by coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Palermo took the lead after only nine minutes when Australia international Mark Bresciano deftly flicked a ball over the top past compatriot Zeljko Kalac into the bottom left corner.
Milan got themselves back into the game on 25 minutes though, Kaka making Alberto Fontana dive low to his right to save well from 25 yards, and they found the equaliser when Kaka spotted a late run from Massimo Ambrosini on the left and sent an inch-perfect cross-field pass for the Italy midfielder to slide in and convert at the far post.
The Rossoneri then had a cast-iron penalty missed by the referee when Giulio Migliaccio palmed the ball away from Kakha Kaladze as he attempted an overhead kick, although the angle was also difficult for the assistant and the tangle of Kaladze's moving legs further obscured the offence.
There was a hairy moment for Milan when stand-in keeper Kalac flapped at a Palermo corner, while Cavani fired just over after being afforded time and space by the Rossoneri defence.
With two minutes remaining, Amauri tumbled in the box under a Gennaro Gattuso challenge but he was waved up. And within sixty seconds the hosts won the match, Inzaghi with a perfectly timed run off the Palermo back four to dive and head a cross by Yohann Gourcuff - Kaka's replacement - past the helpless and, later, furious Fontana.
Milan move up to fourth after overcoming a poor season start, while Palermo stay in mid-table.
- - - -
SAMPDORIA 1-1 INTER*
Inter had to come from behind through Hernan Crespo's deft header with 16 minutes remaining.
Sampdoria had led when stand-out performer Antonio Cassano lashed the ball into the roof of the net 11 minutes earlier.
- - - -
UDINESE 3-5 GENOA*
Marco Borriello's hat-trick settled an incredible match with the Italy striker taking his league tally to 15 goals.
Julio Cesar Leon smacked home from 25 yards to put Genoa ahead on nine minutes before Udinese's Goekhan Inler was tripped by Gleison and Italy forward Antonio Di Natale converted the penalty.
An inexplicable handball by Cesare Bovo allowed Di Natale to score again from the spot before Genoa equalised through Giuseppe Sculli, although he appeared offside.
Borriello then traded strikes with Antonio Floro Flores before bagging two more.
- - - -
ATALANTA 2-2 SIENA*
Atalanta's Sergio Floccari scored twice as his side came back from two down in an exhilarating first half.
Siena's Valerio Bertotto scored off his thigh on the half-hour after Atalanta had failed to clear the ball and Tomas Locatelli soon took advantage of more poor defending.
Floccari pulled one back on 42 minutes after a superb layoff with his chest from Cristiano Doni and the pair combined again on half-time when Floccari scored on the rebound after Doni's free-kick had been saved.
- - - -
CAGLIARI 1-0 LAZIO*
Striker Alessandro Matri grabbed a late winner to renew hope of an incredible escape for bottom club Cagliari, who triumphed despite having Michele Fini dismissed for two bookings on 62 minutes.
Lazio came closest when forward Tommaso Rocchi had a header saved.
- - - -
EMPOLI 2-0 CATANIA*
The home side helped their survival chances with young midfielder Sebastian Giovinco putting them ahead on 36 minutes and Alessandro Budel blasting in with his left foot 12 minutes from time.
Catania striker Gionatha Spinesi had a 66th-minute penalty saved.
- - - -
LIVORNO 1-2 NAPOLI*
Emanuele Calaio headed in when unmarked and then struck deep into injury-time to boost inconsistent Napoli.
Alessandro Diamanti had pulled Livorno level with a marvellous curling free-kick but it was not enough.
Reda Maher & Reuters* / Eurosport