Inter maintained their two-point lead over Sampdoria at the Serie A summit as the top two both won on Saturday.
Inter eased to a 2-1 victory at home to Catania, while Antonio Cassano inspired Sampdoria to a 4-1 thumping of lowly Bologna.
It means Inter lead with 22 points after nine matches, with Sampdoria opening up a five-point gap between them and the rest.
PHOTO: EPA
Inter were anything but spectacular against Catania, but their superiority was clear to see as they put the game to bed by halftime.
“I’m happy with the way we played in the first half and the way we fought in the second half,” Inter boss Jose Mourinho said. “Obviously, it’s never easy after a Champions League match. I think the game could have gone differently, it could have been easier. When it went 2-1, it gave Catania hope and made us nervous.”
After Wesley Sneijder had wasted an early chance, Sulley Muntari gave the hosts the lead at the San Siro in comical fashion as his ball forward, looking for Samuel Eto’o, was narrowly missed by the Cameroon forward. It flummoxed Catania goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo, however, who stood rooted to the line as the ball slipped apologetically past him and inside the far post.
France captain Patrick Vieira, enjoying a rare start with Esteban Cambiasso injured, smacked a shot against the bar from 12m on 28 minutes, but just three minutes later Sneijder curled home a delightful free-kick.
Catania earned a lifeline six minutes from time as substitute Giuseppe Mascara scored from the spot after goalkeeper Julio Cesar had felled Gianvinto Plasmati, but Inter still held on comfortably.
Cassano was the catalyst for Sampdoria against Bologna, as the 27-year-old bad-boy turned in one of his most influential performances, setting up two goals and proving a constant menace.
Italy coach Marcello Lippi has resisted the temptation to select Cassano for more than a year despite intense media pressure, but he cannot have failed to be impressed by this match-winning performance.
Neither could he have failed to notice the performance of Giampaolo Pazzini, who scored despite playing in a mask after having his nose broken in a clash with Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera last week.
Cassano teed him up to open the scoring on seven minutes, before starting the move that led to the second on 16 minutes, chipping the ball to Pazzini who controlled it on his chest and then helped it on into Daniele Mannini’s path, with the midfielder lashing home a stunning volley.
The game was over as a contest on 26 minutes when Switzerland midfielder Reto Ziegler turned Gaby Mudingayi far too easily 25m from goal and then sent a rocket past Emiliano Viviano into the bottom corner.
Bologna’s difficult task was made almost impossible in the aftermath as forward Marco Di Vaio argued with the referee and was shown a straight red card.
On 33 minutes it was 4-0. Cassano teased the Bologna back-line and tricked himself into space, before crossing to Mannini to head home from 2m out at the back post.
Cassano almost scored a stunning individual goal, but after beating three players he blazed over.
The Serie A strugglers showed great pride in the second period and pulled a goal back through substitute Pablo Osvaldo on 62 minutes.
Sampdoria coach Luigi Delneri said the game showed his team were serious challengers.
“Today’s result was important from a numbers point of view, but also mentally,” Delneri said. “My team is aware of its own ability and that’s what counts.”
The defeat, which leaves Bologna in the relegation zone, was a bad way for new coach Franco Colomba to begin his career, with the club having replaced Giuseppe Papadopulo in midweek.
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