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LEGA CALCIO: Lazio do Roma a favor by holding Inter

Lazio did cross-city rivals AS Roma a favor by holding leaders Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw at the capital's Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

It meant second-placed Roma did not lose ground on the champions following their own 1-1 draw at lowly Cagliari earlier in the day.

The gap between the top two is pegged at four points with seven matches left, but perhaps more significantly, Inter have failed to win in seven of their last nine games in all competitions.

They also twice had the woodwork to thank for escaping Rome with a valuable point.

Brazilian full-back Maicon said they were happy with the point, which maintained their gap to Roma.

"We worked hard for this all the way to the end, this draw is good for us," he said. "You can't always pile the pressure on. We've got to work hard to win our last seven games."

Inter Milan had the lead against Lazio after only 10 minutes, as Maicon skipped down the right and crossed to the near post where Hernan Crespo flicked the ball home.

Crespo could have scored another, but Marco Ballotta saved from the Argentine striker.

Lazio had chances of their own in the first period, with Inter's Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar twice blocking long-range efforts from former Manchester City midfielder Ousmane Dabo.

After the break Lazio came storming back, with Tommaso Rocchi beating the offside trap on 59 minutes before taking his time and side-footing the ball past Julio Cesar.

Minutes later the goalkeeper came to Inter's rescue as he tipped a deflected Valon Behrami shot onto the bar and over for a corner.

Nine minutes from time the unlucky Dabo finally beat Julio Cesar, but saw his vicious strike crash back off the bar.

Cagliari goalkeeper Marco Storari was the star of the show in Sardinia as the hosts moved out of the relegation zone, capping a good week for them as on Wednesday the Italian federal court of justice overturned a three-point penalty imposed on them.

AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti rued his team's missed opportunity.

"The lads played a good match, they deserved more," he said.

Roma had a nightmare start as Matteo Ferrari scored an own goal after just three minutes.

Ferrari was unable to get out of the way of the ball from a corner after several players missed it, with the ball hitting his legs and trickling over the line.

Spalletti said that moment was crucial to the final outcome.

"The game started badly, we conceded a goal and that affected the rest of the match," he said. "Even so, we have to be pleased, it's a result we have to accept, we did everything we could."

Roma dominated the opening half with Ludovic Giuly forcing a good save from Storari, before he and Brazilian winger Alessandro Mancini both missed volleys from a good position.

On 24 minutes Mancini hit the post with a shot from outside the area and on the half hour Storari saved well again from Giuly.

Cagliari were not always under the cosh and Michele Canini went close with a header form a corner. But on the stroke of halftime, Roma were level as Totti beat Storari with a well placed free-kick.

Roma finally got behind the Sardinians' stubborn back line on 77 minutes, but substitute Alberto Aquilani's flick from a Giuly center was stopped by Storari.

Seven minutes from time Roma opened up Cagliari again, with Brazilian full-back Cicinho playing a neat one-two with Totti, but his right-foot finish was dreadful.

But the best chance came with five minutes remaining when Storari produced a stunning save with his foot on the line from Totti's close range header as he was falling backwards into his goal.
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