Lazio 1-1 Torino
Napoli 1-1 Bologna
Atalanta 3-0 Roma
Cagliari 2-0 Lecce
Chievo 1-1 Catania
Genoa 3-3 Fiorentina
Inter 2-1 AC Milan
Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria
Reggina 0-0 Palermo
Siena 1-1 Udinese
A breathless Milan derby delivered on its billing as game of the week as Internazionale overcame their great rivals to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to 9 points. What was refreshing about this derby, in contrast to previous skirmishes between these two illustrious sides, was the level of respect shown between players - There were very few nasty tackles, incidences of play-acting or petulant behaviour which so blight 'big' premiership fixtures. In the end, Carlo Ancelloti's side were overcome by a more pragmatic, dynamic team in Jose Mourinho's Inter.
Inter took the lead midway through the first half when Adriano, who I have labelled in the past a waste of talent and oxygen, headed a Maicon cross onto his arm and past Abbiati. As an Inter fan I am freely admitting this goal should not have stood - the impact of ball on arm, however unintentional, crucially causes the ball to deviate goalwards and Abbiati, the only Rossoneri player to protest, has a right to feel aggrieved. He could do little about Inter's second, however, a consumate finish from Dejan Stankovic after the Serbian had missed a sitter earlier in the half. Milan, though competing throughout, failed to create anything of note in the first 45 but came out with renewed purpose in the second half. Alexandre Pato, the solitary youngster in an ageing side, duly obliged in pulling a goal back and Filipo Inzaghi, on for the ineffectual (and injured) David Beckham, had a goal correctly chalked off for offside before missing a gilt-edged chance to level late on.
For Milan, their ageing defence simply couldn't cope with the intensity and pace of Adriano and Ibrahimovic. Ronaldinho, shouldering the creative burden with Kaka out, had Esteban Cambiasso snapping at his heels the whole game and, while Pirlo and Pato were exceptional, in the end Mourinho's more counter-attacking, disciplined approach came out on top.
Juventus fell further behind the Nerazzuri after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sampdoria in a frustrating sunday afternoon in Turin. Gianpaolo Pazzini gave the visitors a first half lead only for Amauri to level with a brave header for his 12th of the season. Alessandro Del Piero struck the bar and then the post with the same free-kick and the Gobbini could not find a way through, further jeopardising their title chances.
Comeback of the week goes to Fiorentina, who came from three goals down to record a point in a pulsating match against Genoa at the Estadio Luigi Ferrari. The Grifone had raced into a seemingly unassailable lead through ex-Barcelona midfielder Thiago Motta, Raffaelle Palladino and Diego Milito (The Prince recording his 15th of the season) and even had time for Giuseppe Biava to be sent off in between. The viola looked dead and buried only for Mutu to record a hat-trick inside 20 second half minutes, his first from the penalty spot, to rescue a draw that keeps Cesare Prandelli's team a point ahead of Genoa in fourth.
Roma's great 2009 was brought to an abrupt halt by Gigi Del Neri's Atalanta - a tricky side at home as regular Euroballs readers will note - with a 3-0 hammering. All the goals came in a quick-fire second half spell during which Danielle Capelli fired home the first before Cristiano Doni, the veteran playmaker still doing the business at 35, showed skill and precision for a brace before Simone Perotta capped Luciano Spalleti's miserable afternoon by getting his marching orders from the referee.
Napoli were unable to capitalise on this slip-up by being held at home by Bologna. Marco Di Vaio hit his 16th of the season for the visitors after Christian Maggio had earlier put Napoli ahead, in a result that leaves Edy Reja's side in 10th, a far cry from their position at Christmas. Beneficiaries here were Cagliari, who moved to 7th following a 2-0 win over Lecce. Fini and Matri scoring either side of half time to condemn Lecce to a third straight loss and strengthen the Sardinian's European ambitions. Ambitions fading fast for Lazio as they were held at home by Torino; Udinese, who have stopped their rot, could not find their way past a stubborn Siena side even after Antonio Di Natale had grabbed an equaliser; And draws for Chievo and Reggina do little for their survival prospects. Its getting tight down at the bottom with 6 points seperating Sampdoria in 15th from Chievo in 19th.
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