Inter Milan responded to AS Roma’s earlier 3-1 victory at Udinese by beating Fiorentina 2-0 at the San Siro on Sunday to maintain their four-point lead in Serie A.
Goals from Esteban Cambiasso and teenage striker Mario Balotelli earned the champions a deserved victory over Champions League chasing Fiorentina.
The result also gave AC Milan a Champions League lifeline after they lost 3-2 at Juventus on Saturday. The Viola’s loss meant Milan remain just four points off fourth place and the final Champions League qualification position.
Inter had the better of the first half chances but French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was in fine form and denied Javier Zanetti and Julio Cruz.
But he could do nothing 10 minutes after the restart when France captain Patrick Vieira managed to square the ball into the box despite being grounded, finding Cambiasso, who rifled home into the roof of the net.
Seven minutes later rising star Balotelli beat the offside trap and kept his head to cooly slot home from just inside the area.
Earlier Roma had kept their Serie A title dreams alive with a come-from behind victory in Udine.
It was a crucial victory for Roma, who welcomed back Francesco Totti to the starting line-up.
Any worries they would still be suffering a Champions League hangover after losing to Manchester United in midweek were dispelled by goals from Mirko Vucinic, Rodrigo Taddei and Ludovic Giuly, cancelling out Antonio Di Natale’s opener.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was delighted with the result which kept the pressure on Inter with only five matches left.
“We played a great match and really deserved the victory, we also deserved to be ahead before they took the lead,” he said.
Totti was quickly back in the swing of things and was at the heart of most of Roma’s forward momentum, but they created nothing clear-cut in the first 45 minutes, despite persistent probing.
And six minutes after the break the visitors fell behind after an horrendous error from Cristian Panucci.
The veteran defender ducked away from a far post cross, allowing Di Natale to plant a downward header past goalkeeper Doni. That prompted a furious argument between Doni and Panucci.
Roma started to take the ascendancy and Brazilian full-back Cicinho rattled the post.
They were level on 64 minutes as David Pizarro dinked a ball into the area and Macedonia forward Vucinic came off the left wing to take the ball on his chest and fire home in one fluid movement.
The visitors were in control and it was no surprise on 70 minutes when they took the lead, Taddei curling home a left footed shot from inside the area.
In the last minute substitute Giuly took a pass from Matteo Brighi and shot home left footed.
In other games Sampdoria missed the chance to stake their claim for Champions League soccer next season as they lost 1-0 at lowly Reggina.
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