Serie A - Week 29: Sunday Review

Inter re-established their seven-point lead in Serie A with a comfortbale 3-0 win over Reggina while Genoa kept themselves in fourth by beating Udinese 2-0. Elsewhere, Milan were held and Fiorentina, Cagliari, Chievo and Sampdoria all won.

INTER 3-0 REGGINA
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Inter restored their seven-point lead at the top of Serie A with a routine 3-0 win over Reggina. Jose Mourinho's men saw their advantage trimmed to four points on Saturday night following second-placed Juventus' impressive 4-1 win at Roma. But Ibrahimovic ensured the Nerazzurri matched their title rivals, with two goals following Esteban Cambiasso's sixth-minute opener. Inter are now seven points clear with nine games remaining.

NAPOLI 0-0 AC MILAN
AC Milan failed to respond to wins for Inter and Juventus this weekend as they were held to a goalless draw at Napoli in evening match. Napoli, in Roberto Donadoni's second game in charge, had a valid goal disallowed in the first half for offside and came the closest to breaking the deadlock in a tense encounter at the Stadio San Paolo, but they remain without a win in more than two months now. Meanwhile, Milan can almost certainly now write off their hopes of lifting the Serie A title as they now trail Inter by 14 points. Napoli had Daniele Mannini back in their team after his two-year suspension for reporting late for a doping test was overturned this week.

GENOA 2-0 UDINESE
Genoa defended fourth place in Serie A with a 2-0 win against 10-man Udinese. Giuseppe Sculli opened the scoring on the hour mark before Udinese forward Alexis Sanchez was sent off with 20 minutes remaining. The visitors pressed for an equaliser despite playing with a man down but they were caught on the counter-attack as Diego Milito secured the win for Genoa in stoppage time. The three points takes Genoa five points clear of Roma and just three behind third-placed AC Milan. But Fiorentina's win means they are still just two points adrift in fifth position as the race for a place in the Champions League next season hots up.

FIORENTINA 1-0 SIENA
Fiorentina narrowly overcame an organised Siena 1-0 in the Tuscan derby. The game had looked to be heading for a draw, with Fiorentina unable to break down the visitors' solid defence, but Adrian Mutu found a way through with less than 20 minutes left for the Champions League hopefuls. Cesare Prandelli's men remain two point behind fourth-placed Genoa.

BOLOGNA 0-1 CAGLIARI
Robert Acquafresca's first-half goal earned Cagliari a hard-fought victory at Bologna which sparks their European dreams back into life. Acquafresca headed in the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time to leave Bologna even further in trouble. Cagliari have now surpassed the 40-point mark - the target for avoiding relegation - and are just four points behind Roma who occupy the last Europa League berth. Bologna remain two points off the relegation zone with nine games left to play.

TORINO 1-3 SAMPDORIA
Sampdoria ended their three-month wait for an away win in emphatic style to pour further pressure on under-fire Torino boss Walter Novellino. The Blucerchiati had not won on their travels since beating Reggina 2-0 on December 14, but were well on their way to ending that run when in-form striker Giampaolo Pazzini and Paolo Sammarco struck inside the opening 24 minutes. Rolando Bianchi pulled a goal back for the hosts on the half-hour mark, but their fate was sealed when Antonio Cassano netted a third with 20 minutes remaining. Toro are now two points adrift of safety.

CHIEVO 1-0 PALERMO
Luciano tapped in the winner in first-half injury time as Chievo hauled themselves three points further clear of relegation trouble with a deserved 1-0 Serie A victory at home to 10-man Palermo. The hosts had much the better of the match throughout, but only the Brazilian midfielder's presence in the right place at the right time ensured they got their due reward - despite the numerical advantage once Mattia Cassani was sent off for bringing down Sergio Pellissier, who was clean through on goal after 36 minutes. The win takes Chievo six points clear of the relegation zone.

LECCE 2-2 ATALANTA
Struggling Lecce earned a point at home to Atalanta as Fabio Caserta's last-gasp penalty gave them a 2-2 draw. Caserta had fired Lecce in front after 10 minutes but a brace from Simone Padoin either side of half time put the visitors from Bergamo in control for much of the game. The draw leaves Lecce second from bottom in Serie A and two points off safety.

SERIE A REVIEW:
[Saturday 21 Mar] - [Sunday 22 Mar]