Football
PA Sport 6y

Inter Milan and Roma end in 1-1 draw; Napoli four points clear atop Serie A

Matias Velcino's header four minutes from time earned Inter Milan a deserved 1-1 draw against Roma at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Both sides had chances to open the scoring in an end-to-end first half with Inter midfielder Ivan Perisic and Roma forward Stephan El Shaarawy each going close, but it was the latter who produced a fine finish to put the visitors in front.

The hosts dominated the second half with Mauro Icardi and substitute Eder spurning great opportunities and it looked as though Luciano Spalletti's men would come up short, but Velcino popped to salvage Nerazzurri a share of the spoils.

Franck Kessie scored two goals in six minutes as AC Milan came from behind to beat Cagliari 2-1.

Nicola Barella put the hosts ahead in just the eighth-minute but Kessie's two-goal salvo levelled before the break, the first coming from the spot.

Both sides finished with 10 men as Ricardo Rodriguez and Barella both saw red in the final 10 minutes.

Napoli moved four points clear at the Serie A summit on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo.

Dries Mertens settled the early kick-off after 65 minutes, accepting Jose Callejon's through ball to fire home an angled drive for his 14th goal of the season and earn the Partenopei a measure of revenge for their Coppa Italia defeat to the Nerazzurri earlier this month.

The goal marked the end of a 910-minute drought for Belgium forward Mertens.

Second-placed Juventus host Genoa on Monday night.

Lazio climbed above Inter Milan, who host Roma on Sunday evening, and into third with a thumping 5-1 triumph over Chievo.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic netted twice, after Luis Alberto's opener had been cancelled out by Manuel Pucciarelli, with Bastos' deflected strike and Nani's neat finish completing the rout. Chievo were awarded a penalty in first-half stoppage time, but the decision was overturned following consultation with the Video Assistant Referee.

The only downside for the capital club was the loss of Italy striker Ciro Immobile, who limped off injured in the first half.

Fabio Quagliarella hit a hat trick in Sampdoria's 3-1 victory over fellow European hopefuls Fiorentina at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Carlos Sanchez pulled a goal back for La Viola with a header 10 minutes from time, but it was scant consolation. The win consolidated sixth spot for Samp, moving them five points better off than their guests. 

Mattia Destro, Sebastien De Maio and Blerim Dzemaili scored as Bologna cruised to a 3-0 success against rock-bottom Benevento.

Crotone ran out 3-0 winners at 10-man Hellas Verona in a battle between two teams in the bottom three at the start of play.

Andrea Barberis' third-minute opener gave the visitors the perfect start and Adrian Stoian doubled their advantage nine minutes into the second half. Bruno Zuculini saw red just after the hour mark, and Federico Ricci sealed matters with a third goal six minutes later. The result moved Crotone out of the relegation zone and kept Hellas Verona struggling in 19th. 

The games between Sassuolo and Torino, and Udinese and SPAL, ended 1-1.

Joel Obi put Walter Mazzarri's Torino ahead in the 26th minute, but Domenico Berardi secured a deserved share of the spoils for Sassuolo nine minutes after the interval.

And Sergio Floccari salvaged a point for SPAL, notching four minutes into the second period to cancel out Samir's 11th-minute opener, which had come courtesy of a goalkeeping error from Alfred Gomis, but it was not enough to prevent them dropping to 18th.

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