Inter Milan beat Genoa 1-0 from an Adem Ljajic
free-kick on Saturday to leapfrog Napoli atop the Italian Serie A.
The Nerazzurri lead on 33 points from 15 games ahead
of Napoli's visit to lowly Bologna on Sunday. The Naples side have 31 points
and went top last week by edging Inter 2-1.
Inter were in control from the start at the Giuseppe
Meazza, but had their only chances in the first half when Ljajic misfired in
the 18th minute and was denied by a prodigious save from Mattia Perin as he
volleyed off Alex Telles on 43.
The guests' first effort on 53 was Diogo Figueiras'
firm shot from a tight angle, which met the hands of Samir Handanovic.
Home striker Stevan Jovetic volleyed over off Rodrigo
Palacio and Ljajic on 59 minutes had some luck and a static defence on his side
as his free-kick from the left side surprised Perin into the opposite corner.
Genoa brought on former Inter striker Goran Pandev,
but did not trouble Handanovic despite the dismissal of home defender Danilo
D'Ambrosio four minutes from time.
Earlier in Turin, Roma were held as Torino rallied to
a clinch 1-1 draw with a last-gasp penalty at the end of a closely fought
clash.
"When the referee is not 100 per cent sure, he
should not make the call," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said.
"In the first half we were too tense. We did
better in the second. We always had the ball and created a lot to score more
goals."
Striker Miralem Pjanic scored from a free kick with
seven minutes left in a fashion similar to Ljajic's as goalkeeper Daniele
Padelli also stood frozen on the goal line.
But substitute Maxi Lopez converted in injury time
after Kostas Manolas floored the goal-bound Andrea Belotti.
In the fourth minute young striker Belotti had a
close-range deflection blocked by Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who then
saved a central effort from Bruno Perez and saw a deflected effort from the
Brazilian fly wide on six minutes.
Rome had to replace the injured Ivory Coast winger
Gervinho in the 25th and had no clear opportunities in the first half, but did
raise their game after the break with missed headers on 71 and 75 minutes from
Edin Dzeko and substitute Juan Iturbe.
The fourth-placed Giallorossi (28) have now taken two
points from their last three games and sit one point clear of champions
Juventus, who beat Lazio 2-0 Friday for a fifth straight win.
Third-place Fiorentina (29) are at home to Udinese on
Sunday.
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