Fredy Guarin scored two majestic long-range goals, one with each foot, and was involved in two more as he led Inter to a much-needed 4-1 win away to Atalanta in Serie A yesterday.

Ivorian pair Gervinho and Seydou Doumbia failed to inspire second-placed Roma, who were held 0-0 at home by bottom club Parma, while Milan’s troubles continued in a 1-1 draw at home to Empoli.

M’Baye Niang scored twice to lead Genoa to a 5-2 win over Verona, relegation-threatened Cagliari held Torino 1-1 away and Lazio stayed in the race for a Champions League place by winning 1-0 at Udinese.

Chievo surprised Sampdoria after beating them 2-1.

Leaders Juventus were held to a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Cesena last night, wasting the chance to pull further clear of title challengers Roma, after Arturo Vidal missed an 82nd-minute penalty.

Vidal rolled his effort wide of the post as Juve stayed seven points clear of second-placed Roma.

Cesena forced Gianluigi Buffon to make three saves in the opening 10 minutes before Andrea Pirlo lost possession in midfield, Gregoire Defrel charged forward and laid the ball off to Milan Djuric who slotted a shot under Buffon.

Juve hit back with two goals in a six-minute spell either side of the half-hour mark before the break.

Alvaro Morata was left unmarked to head the equaliser from Paul Pogba’s pinpoint cross and Claudio Marchisio pounced to score from close range after Cesena failed to clear a throw-in.

Franco Brienza levelled with a deflected shot in the 70th minute as second-bottom Cesena claimed a deserved point.

Earlier yesterday, Inter, joint ninth, won two league games in a row for the first time since Roberto Mancini took over in November.

Xherdan Shaqiri put them in front by converting a second-minute penalty following a foul on Guarin, the Swiss player’s first league goal since his move from Bayern Munich in January.

Maxi Moralez equalised for Atalanta before Guarin sprang into action, powering his way past a challenge in midfield and curling a low 25-metre left-foot shot past Marco Sportiello in the 38th minute.

The Colombian surpassed that effort just past the hour when he looped a right-foot drive into the net from a similar distance, then slipped the ball through for Rodrigo Palacio to complete the scoring.

Atalanta had Yohan Benalouane sent off early in the second half after he was booked for a foul, then again for dissent.

Doumbia debut

Roma struggled to create chances against Parma despite the return of Gervinho from the African Nations Cup and compatriot Doumbia’s debut following his move from CSKA Moscow.

Doumbia had one header saved by Antonio Mirante and Ashley Cole headed against the post for Roma, who have drawn six of their last eight league games.

Milan, stuck in eleventh, went ahead when Mattia Destro scored with their first shot on target just before half-time, only to leave Massimo Maccarone unmarked to head the equaliser.

Goalkeeper Diego Lopez was sent off six minutes from time while defender Alex suffered a broken nose early on and Gabriel Paletta pulled a hamstring.

Serie A

Milan 1
Destro 40;
Empoli 1
Maccarone 68;

HT: 1-0. Att: 27,170.
Red card: Lopez (M) 84.

Atalanta 1
Moralez 28;
Inter 4
Shaqiri 2 pen; Guarin 38, 63; Palacio 73;

HT: 1-2. Att: 20,000.
Red card: Benalouane (A) 53.

Cesena 2
Djuric 17; Brienza 70;
Juventus 2
Morata 27; Marchisio 33;

HT: 1-2. Att: 23,661.
Missed penalty: Vidal (J) 82.

Genoa 5
Agostini 10 og; Niang 12, 30; Bertolacci 66; Perotti 87;
Verona 2
Toni 21, 57;

HT: 3-1. Att: 17,000.

Roma 0
Parma 0

Att: 40,000.

Torino 1
El Kaddouri 36;
Cagliari 1
Donsah 34;

HT: 1-1. Att: 13,000.

Udinese 0
Lazio 1
Candreva 23 pen;

HT: 0-1. Att: 10,000.

Chievo 2
Izco 2; Meggiorini 39;
Sampdoria 1
Muriel 90;

HT: 2-0. Att: 10,000.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Juventus	23	16	6	1	49	12	54
Roma	23	13	8	2	36	17	47
Napoli	23	12	6	5	42	30	42
Fiorentina	23	10	8	5	35	23	38
Lazio	23	11	4	8	38	26	37
Genoa	23	9	8	6	35	28	35
Sampdoria	23	8	11	4	29	26	35
Palermo	23	8	9	6	37	37	33
Inter	23	8	8	7	37	30	32
Torino	23	8	8	7	26	24	32
Milan	23	7	9	7	33	30	30
Sassuolo	23	6	11	6	29	33	29
Udinese	23	7	7	9	26	31	28
Empoli	23	4	12	7	22	27	24
Chievo	23	6	6	11	18	27	24
Verona	23	6	6	11	26	42	24
Atalanta	23	5	8	10	20	33	23
Cagliari	23	4	8	11	30	43	20
Cesena	23	3	7	13	23	45	16
Parma (-1)	23	3	2	18	20	47	10

Top scorers
14 goals: Tevez (Juventus).
13 goals: Icardi (Inter).
12 goals: Higuain (Napoli), Menez (Milan).
11 goals: Dybala (Palermo).
10 goals: Gabbiadini (Napoli).

Next fixtures

Friday: 20.45 Juventus vs Atalanta.

Saturday: 20.45 Sampdoria vs Genoa.

Sunday: 15.00 Milan vs Cesena; Empoli vs Chievo; Verona vs Roma; Lazio vs Palermo; Parma vs Udinese. 20.45 Fiorentina vs Torino.

Monday, Feb. 23: 19.00 Napoli vs Sassuolo. 21.00 Cagliari vs Inter.

Serie B

Playing today
Catania vs Crotone - 20.30