Leaders Inter lose at Atalanta, Juve draw

Serie A leaders Inter suffered a stunning 3-1 defeat at Atalanta yesterday afternoon before Juventus cut the gap at the top to three points with a 1-1 draw at Lazio.

Cristian Ledesma put Lazio ahead with a free-kick which was misjudged by goalkeeper Alex Manninger but Olof Mellberg headed in the equaliser for second-placed Juve on the half hour.

Striker Sergio Floccari had earlier scored a superb opener for mid-table Atalanta before Cristiano Doni extended their lead with a deflected free-kick and a header in the first half.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbed an injury-time consolation for Inter, who have 43 points at the halfway stage of the season with Juve on 40 and third-placed Milan on 37 after Saturday's 1-0 win over Fiorentina.

Jose Mourinho used all his three substitutes by the start of the second half but his side barely mustered a shot on target before Ibrahimovic found the net at the death.

"I can't explain it," Mourinho told Sky television before he clashed with interviewers.

"I should keep quiet and let the sports press use any adjective they want, which I must accept given my team played such an awful match."

The champions had won eight league matches in a row before drawing 1-1 at home to Cagliari the weekend before last and letting Juve move within four points.

Bergamo-based Atalanta have always been a threat at home and this season 22 out of their 27 points have been won in their own stadium.

Genoa climbed up to fourth, the final Champions League qualifying spot, thanks to a 2-0 win at Lecce and fifth-placed Napoli's controversial 2-1 defeat at joint-bottom Chievo.

Chievo moved level on points with Reggina, who lost 1-0 at Siena on Saturday, following two Michele Marcolini penalties although replays suggested Simone Bentivoglio dived to win the second spotkick.

Last season's runners-up Roma, who had a terrible start to the campaign, are now just five points off a Champions League place after a wonderful overhead kick from Julio Baptista in injury time sealed a 1-0 win at lowly Torino.

Milan in third are six points behind Inter after a 1-0 home win over Fiorentina on Saturday in what could be Kaka's last game for the club if he and Milan accept a huge bid from Manchester City.

Udinese's awful run continued at the hands of Cagliari. An early deflected free-kick from Daniele Conti gave the Sardinians a perfect start and then Davide Biondini guided in a cross unmarked at the back post on 20 minutes.

Bologna put more distance between themselves and the drop zone with a hard-fought 2-1 win in Catania.

Serie A top scorer Marco Di Vaio netted his 14th of the league season with a close range header soon after the restart before Adailton's diving header made it two.