Goran Pandev, Walter Samuel and Diego Milito scored the goals to
give Inter Milan a 3-0 victory at home to Cagliari on Sunday.
The win extends Inter's lead at the top of the table to eight
points after AS Roma beat Fiorentina to move into second-placed. AC
Milan slipped to third after a 0-0 draw away to Bologna.
Pandev struck in the sixth minute after Javier Zanetti's
cross caused problems for Cagliari's defense. Samuel headed a
second in the 20th and Milito scored his 14th of the season just
after halftime.
For Roma Mirko Vucinic scored the only goal of the game in
the 82nd after Fiorentina wasted a number of chances to take the
win.
Inter has 52 points, AS Roma 44 and Milan is on 42.
Also Sunday, it was; Atalanta 1, Bari 0; Genoa 1, Chievo
Verona 0; Lazio 0, Catania 1; Siena 1, Sampdoria 2; Udinese 3,
Napoli 1.
"This win against Cagliari is very important because it puts
us 10 points above second place," Inter coach Jose Mourinho said.
"Today we started the match trusting in our offensive mentality.
Cagliari isn't an easy team to play against and even when 2-0 up
its players didn't collapse and tried to make chances, but we were
solid and compact."
Inter look an early lead after Zanetti raced down the right,
crossed low and, when the Cagliari defense was unable to clear,
Pandev swept the ball under goalkeeper Michael Agazzi.
The Macedonian then had a chance to double the lead in the
15th, but volleyed straight at the keeper.
Five minutes later though Inter doubled its tally. Maicon
swung over a corner and Samuel found space to head home.
Cagliari players thought they had scored in the 35th minute,
only for Alessandro Matri's shot to be ruled out for offside, when
replays indicated that Inter defender Davide Santon had the last
touch.
Milito added the third when the Argentine linked up with
Pandev, held off Daniele Dessena and shot past Agazzi.
Fiorentina dominated a high tempo first half. In the 28th
Roma keeper Julio Sergio made two sharp saves. First from Juan
Vargas' volley and then from Manuel Pasqual's long range shot.
The Brazilian again came to his side's rescue in the 39th,
reacting quickly to keep out Stevan Jovetic's powerful drive.
Fiorentina's Lorenzo De Silvestri wasted a great chance to
open the scoring four minutes before the break. Riccardo Montolivio
counterattacked and slipped the ball to the fullback in the area,
but De Silvestri sliced his shot wide.
Three minutes into the second half Vucinic squandered a great
opportunity to open the scoring. John Arne Riise pulled the ball
back to the Montenegrin, but he sliced his shot.
In the 51st Alberto Gilardino shot straight at Sergio when
clear on goal and the keeper denied him again in the 74th, stopping
his close range header.
Roma scored eight minutes from time. David Pizarro whipped
over a corner and Vucinic was left unmarked to score from close in.
"Today was all about the team," Sergio said. "It was a tough
game. We got the goal and had to hang on, but sometimes matches go
like that.
"It was an important result for our position in the league,"
he said. "Inter is a lot of points ahead of us, but that is what we
have to aim for."
AC Milan struggled to build momentum in the first half of its
game at Bologna and lacked any continuity in its play. A long range
shot from Andrea Pirlo that went narrowly over the bar was the best
that Milan produced in the opening 45 minutes.
Leonardo's side failed to find any more inspiration in the
second half and even the introduction of David Beckham and Klaas
Jan Huntelaar into the attack failed to provide any spark.
In injury time Massimo Ambrosini headed against the Bologna
bar from Amantino Mancini's cross, but Milan has now gone four
games in all competitions since its last win.
"Today I cannot criticize anyone," Milan coach Leonardo said.
"We did what we had to do throughout the match. Our spirit was
right, in fact it was better than it was in previous games. All we
missed was a goal."
