Lazio strengthened their hold on third place in Serie A by scoring a late winner in a 1-0 victory against Cagliari.
Just as the game at the Stadio Olimpico appeared to be heading for a stalemate, Lazio's Mobido Diakite headed in Cristian Ledesma's cross two minutes from time to hand the Biancoceleste three valuable points.
Lazio hold the last Champions League qualifying spot and are three points clear of closest rivals Napoli and Udinese, who were held to draws by Catania and Palermo, respectively.
Cagliari, meanwhile, have dropped to 13th place.
Lazio went into the game looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Bologna and Catania, and despite being without top scorer Miroslav Klose through injury, they had the first chance in the fifth minute when Christian Brocchi's close-range effort was kept out by Cagliari goalkeeper Michael Agazzi.
The hosts dominated possession and were almost rewarded in the 15th minute when Ledesma fed captain Tommaso Rocchi in the area and his 10-yard shot was saved by Agazzi.
Cagliari wasted a good chance midway through the first half when an unmarked Victor Ibarbo fired over the bar from a good position.
Before the break, Lazio's Giuseppe Biava got his head to Hernanes' cross but his effort went off target.
The home side picked up where they left off after the restart and Agazzi did well to clear Rocchi's goalbound attempt from 12 yards.
After the hour mark, Radja Nainggolan warmed the hands of Federico Marchetti with a hard drive from 30 yards which the Lazio goalkeeper saved.
Lazio pressed forward more aggressively in the last 20 minutes and were rewarded when Diakite's powerful header beat Agazzi.
The home side were unlucky not to make it 2-0 at the death when substitute Antonio Candreva found space in the area and fired a right-footed effort that struck the bar with Agazzi already beaten.
