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Inter stretch Serie A lead after beating Cagliari

Esteban Cambiasso of Inter Milan performs an overhead kick during their Serie A match against Cagliari in Sardinia on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

Inter Milan stretched their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points on Sunday after a comfortable 2-0 win at rock-bottom Cagliari while second-placed Roma were held to a 0-0 draw at Torino.

Second-half goals from Julio Cruz and David Suazo allowed Inter to cruise to victory.

Inter center-back Christian Chivu hit the bar with a long range drive on 35 minutes and after the break the visitors took control.

Cruz opened the scoring on 57 minutes with a low shot from outside the area and Suazo bundled the ball home from close range 11 minutes from time.

Roma clung on to a 0-0 draw in a game that Torino bossed from start to finish and which they should have won.

Despite their lucky escape, Roma were incensed that the referee did not award them a late penalty when striker Mirko Vucinic went down in the box.

Simone Perrotta allegedly tried to confront the referee in the tunnel after the match but had to be held back by security staff.

Roma moved back above Juventus into second place having briefly lost that spot following Juve's 3-2 win at Lazio on Saturday.

Nicola Pozzi of Empoli reacts during their match against Genoa at the Castellani Stadium in Empoli, Italy, on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

Torino were always in control and forward Simone Barone had the first gilt-edged chance on 28 minutes but flicked his near post shot wide with only Brazilian goalkeeper Doni to beat.

Six minutes from half-time Torino let Roma off yet again as David Di Michele and Alessandro Rosina got in each other's way and contrived between them to slam the ball wide from close range with a gaping goal to aim at.

Sasa Bjelanovic twice went close for the hosts after the break before Vucinic went down under a challenge late on, although television replays were unclear as to whether or not a penalty was deserved.

Fiorentina's miserable form continued as they failed to win for the fifth game in a row following a 2-2 draw at Sampdoria.

Fiorentina stay fifth with Palermo just one place below them following a 3-1 win at Atalanta.

In other Serie A games on Sunday it was:

? Empoli 1, Genoa 1

? Parma 3, Reggina 0

? Siena 1, Napoli 1
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