Inter thrust themselves back into the Serie A title race with a crucial 1-0 win against city rivals Milan at the San Siro last night.

Veteran Argentine forward Diego Milito rolled back the years to score the only goal of the game and move fifth-placed Inter to within five points of their neighbours, who are a point behind leaders Juventus.

The top three picked up only a point between them with Juve’s 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari enough to see them take over sole ownership of top spot.

Third-placed Udinese lost 3-2 at Genoa and with fourth-placed Lazio winning there are now just six points separating the top five.

Milan had much the better of the first period but Inter still looked dangerous when they could get forward.

They had the ball in the net in the fifth minute but Thiago Motta’s header from Maicon’s free-kick was rightly ruled out for offside.

Milan came close when Urby Emanuelson picked out Kevin Prince Boateng’s clever run in a move that looked to have come straight off the training ground but the Ghanaian’s finish was high.

Boateng then picked out Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a cross but the big Swede’s back flick landed on the roof of the net.

Inter defended for long periods but when they came forward they were dangerous and Japan full-back Yuto Nagatomo picked out Ricardo Alvarez with a cross but the Argentine, who was free in the box, dallied and then hit his finish straight at Christian Abbiati.

On the stroke of half-time Inter were saved by the woodwork.

On a rapier counter, Pato teed up Mark van Bommel to crash his shot against the bar, with Julio Cesar well beaten, but the goalkeeper sprawled to his right to keep out Emanuelson’s follow-up.

Inter took the lead nine minutes into the second period thanks to great work from captain Javier Zanetti and a crucial error from Milan right-back Ignazio Abate.

Zanetti surged past two players and then crossed to Milito. Abate looked set to cut it out but he missed the ball, allowing the Argentine striker to carry it forward and slip the ball inside Abbiati’s far post.

Nagatomo was proving one of Inter’s best attacking outlets and he twice came close with forward surges.

Veteran substitute Clarence Seedorf stung Cesar’s fingers late on while Robinho found himself through on the goalkeeper but couldn’t find the right finish.

Juve record

In Turin, Juve opened the scoring on seven minutes with a stunning team goal that involved a mesmerising exchange of passes and culminated in a tap-in for Mirko Vucinic.

But Cagliari drew level three minutes after the break through Andrea Cossu’s sumptuous hit from outside the box.

Juve did at least set a record for their longest unbeaten start to a season, surpassing the 17 games they managed in 1949-50.

“We started well, we had chances to double the advantage but we have to be good and clinical in killing off matches,” said coach Antonio Conte.

Udinese took the lead in Genoa from a Damiano Ferronetti header but the game changed in a 60-second period at the start of the second half with goals from Andreas Granqvist and Bosko Jankovic.

Genoa extended their lead through Rodrigo Palacio but Udinese set up a grandstand finish when Antonio Di Natale pulled a goal back from the spot after Genoa captain Marco Rossi had been sent off.

“We didn’t deserve to lose this match. It was a great game but we just had three minutes of black-out at the start of the second half,” said Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin.

Lazio laboured to a 2-0 win over Atalanta at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico to breathe new life into their faltering scudetto hopes, leaving them five points off Juventus.

Serie A

Cesena 3
Mutu 20, 39 pen; Rinaudo 45 og;
Novara 1
Morimoto 89;

HT: 3-0. Att: 22,413.
Missed penalty: Candreva (C) 62.

Chievo 1
Sammarco 50;
Palermo 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 6,000.

Fiorentina 0
Lecce 1
Di Michele 66 pen;

HT: 0-0. Att: 18,474.

Genoa 3
Granqvist 49; Jankovic 51; Palacio 70;
Udinese 2
Ferronetti 14; Di Natale 75 pen;

HT: 0-1. Att: 20,000.
Red card: Rossi (G) 74.

Juventus 1
Vucinic 7;
Cagliari 1
Cossu 48;

HT: 1-0. Att: 30,874.

Lazio 2
Hernanes 20 pen; Klose 90;
Atalanta 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 18,000.
Red card: Lucchini (A) 53.

Milan 0
Inter 1
Milito 54;

HT: 0-0. Att: 79,952.

Parma 3
Biabiany 24; Valiani 66; Giovinco 90;
Siena 1
Grossi 79;

HT: 1-0. Att: 11,628.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Juventus	18	10	8	0	29	12	38
Milan	18	11	4	3	37	17	37
Udinese	18	10	5	3	26	13	35
Lazio	18	9	6	3	26	17	33
Inter	18	10	2	6	28	19	32
Napoli	17	7	6	4	32	19	27
Roma	17	8	3	6	23	19	27
Genoa	18	7	3	8	22	29	24
Chievo	18	6	5	7	14	20	23
Cagliari	18	5	7	6	16	18	22
Catania	17	5	7	5	20	25	22
Parma	18	6	4	8	24	32	22
Fiorentina	18	5	6	7	18	16	21
Palermo	18	6	3	9	19	24	21
Atalanta (-6)	18	6	8	4	23	23	20
Siena	18	4	6	8	19	19	18
Bologna	17	5	3	9	16	24	18
Cesena	18	4	3	11	12	25	15
Lecce	18	3	3	12	18	34	12
Novara	18	2	6	10	18	35	12

Playing today
Napoli vs Bologna - 20.45

Top scorers
13 goals: Di Natale (Udinese).
12 goals: Denis (Atalanta), Ibrahimovic (Milan).
10 goals: Cavani (Napoli), Klose (Lazio).

Next fixtures
Saturday: 18.00 Roma vs Cesena. 20.45 Atalanta vs Juventus.
Sunday: 12.30 Bologna vs Parma. 15.00 Cagliari vs Fiorentina; Lecce vs Chievo; Novara vs Milan; Palermo vs Genoa; Siena vs Napoli; Udinese vs Catania. 20.45 Inter vs Lazio.

Prima Divisione ‘A’
Avellino-Pisa 1-0; Carpi-Viareggio 3-0; Como-Foligno 2-2; Foggia-Pro Vercelli 1-1; Lumezzane-Benevento 0-2; Monza- Reggiana 0-2; Pavia-Sorrento 0-2; Spal-Taranto 0-0; Ternana-Tritium 2-0.

Standings: Ternana 43; Taranto 40; Carpi 35; Pro Vercelli 33; Sorrento 32; Avellino, Como 28; Lumezzane 27; Pisa, Tritium 26; B’vento, Foggia 25; Reggiana 22; Spal 17; Monza 13; Viareggio 11; Foligno 10; Pavia 9.

Prima Divisione ‘B’
Barletta-Prato 3-1; Bassano-Pergocrema 0-1; Cremonese-Andria 1-0; Latina-Carra-rese 1-0; Spezia-Frosinone 2-1; SudTirol-Feralpisalo 2-0; Trapani-Piacenza 3-0; Tries-tina-Lanciano 3-0.

Standings: Trapani 34; Siracusa 32; Lanciano, Spezia, Portogruaro, Barletta 30; Carrarese, Pergocrema, SudTirol, Cremo-nese 28; Triestina 25; Frosinone 23; Latina 20; Piacenza 18; Prato, Andria 17; Feral-pisalo 16; Bassano 15.