Inter beat Palermo in Sicily but Roma win again

Inter stayed on course to retain the Serie A title after beating rivals Palermo 2-1 in Sicily last night.

Roma are second in the standings after racking up their fifth win in a row in Serie A when they won 4-2 at Sampdoria earlier in the day.

Roma have 29 points, two more than Palermo who slipped to third. Inter are four points clear at the top.

Roberto Mancini's team were in a class of their own and never allowed Palermo any extra space to cruise to their ninth successive victory.

Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic powered Inter into the lead after receiving a pass from Adriano on seven minutes with Palermo goalkeeper Alberto Fontana partly to blame for the goal.

Inter had other chances to double their lead but just before half-time Palermo drew level against the run of play following an Amauri goal.

Ibrahimovic was replaced after the restart because of muscle pain and so was Amauri. Inter scored the winner on 61 minutes when Adriano delivered a perfect pass to Patrick Vieira who scored past Fontana.

Before this goal Marco Materazzi hit the Palermo woodwork with a header from a corner and late in the game Palermo substitute Andrea Caracciolo suffered the same fate from another flag-kick.

The Roma side that travelled north to Genoa yesterday resembled more the one that thrashed Catania 7-0 last weekend than the one that slithered to a 1-0 defeat in the Champions League against Shakh-tar Donetsk in midweek.

Playmaker David Pizarro had already tested Sampdoria keeper Gianluca Berti with a swerving long-range effort before Daniele De Rossi sent Francesco Totti through alone on goal to score Roma's first goal after 13 minutes.

A short clearance by defender Philippe Mexes allowed Sergio Volpi to equalise a minute later, but Simone Perrotta restored Roma's lead shortly after the half-hour mark with a shot from the edge of the area.

Christian Panucci wrapped up a convincing first-half performance by the visitors just before the interval when he volleyed in Totti's cross from close-range.

The second half was more evenly balanced, but Totti killed off any hopes Sampdoria might have entertained about fighting their way back into the match when he volleyed Marco Cassetti's crossfield ball precisely past Berti.

Striker Francesco Flachi grabbed Sampdoria's second goal in stoppage time from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Cassetti.

Roma's city rivals Lazio also continued their good league form, making it three league wins in a row as Manuel Belleri, Goran Pandev and Pasquale Foggia scored to sink Ascoli 3-1.

Elsewhere, Livorno hung on to fourth place with 20 points despite letting a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 with Reggina.

Livorno seemed well in control against the southerners as Fabio Galante and Cristiano Lucarelli scored inside the opening half hour.

Reggina, however, pulled level through strikers Rolando Bianchi and Julio Leon, and Livorno were left hanging on for a point after the late sending-off of midfielder Dario Passoni for a second bookable offence.

In Bergamo, Torino took the lead when a shot from midfielder Nikola Lazetic was deflected into his own net by Atalanta's Claudio Rivalta.

Alessandro Rosina scored a second to secure Torino's first away win of the season. Simone Loria headed in the home side's consolation goal in stoppage time, but it arrived too late to prevent them losing their unbeaten record at home.

Siena took the lead against Tuscan neighbours Fiorentina in the 18th minute, when Mario Frick burst down the right and delivered a low cross into the box for Luca Antonini to turn past visiting keeper Sebastien Frey.

Adrian Mutu's equaliser arrived shortly before half-time, but despite a lively second half neither side could find a winner.

Next fixtures

Saturday, Dec. 2
Inter vs Siena 18.00
Roma vs Atalanta 20.30

Sunday, Dec. 3 - 15.00
Ascoli vs Catania 20.30
Cagliari vs Milan
Fiorentina vs Lazio
Livorno vs Chievo
Messina vs Sampdoria
Parma vs Palermo
Torino vs Empoli
Udinese vs Reggina