ROME (AP) — Inter Milan beat Fiorentina 2-0 Sunday to maintain its Serie A lead with goals from Luis Antonio Jimenez and Julio Ricardo Cruz.
Jimenez angled in a shot in the 10th minute at Florence’s Artemio Franchi stadium and Cruz slipped behind the defence in the 45th for his seventh goal in the league this season, tying him for the club lead with Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic had several attempts turned aside by Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey.
The match was played in a sombre mood following the death of Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli’s wife last week due to breast cancer.
AS Roma edged Udinese 2-1 to remain three points behind Inter.
Brazil defender Juan put Roma ahead in the 11th.
Italy forward Fabio Quagliarella equalized in the 12th for Udinese and Rodrigo Taddei marked his return from injury by scoring the winner in the 27th.
Roma played the final 12 minutes with a two-man advantage following a direct red card to Udinese’s Giampiero Pinzi for a hard tackle from behind on Juan and another to Andrea Dossena for protesting.
Roma captain Francesco Totti was on the bench for the first time following more than a month out with a right foot injury, although he did not play.
Inter leads with 31 points with Roma in second at 28, followed by Juventus with 26, Udinese with 25 and Fiorentina at 24.
"Right now Inter and Roma are the two best teams," Inter coach Roberto Mancini said.
Inter beat Roma 4-1 in September and the next meeting is in February.
Juventus and AC Milan played to a 0-0 draw Saturday and Claudio Bellucci scored twice to help Sampdoria beat 10-man Reggina 3-0.
Catania beat Palermo 3-1 to spoil Francesco Guidolin’s return as Palermo coach.
It was the first time Palermo played at Catania since a policeman was killed in riots following last season’s game. Eggs were thrown at Palermo’s bus as it arrived in the game’s only minor misbehaviour by fans.
"Lucky they were eggs," Guidolin said. "I wasn’t expecting this. I didn’t think we would be welcomed as enemies. There is a sort of incivility wrapped around our soccer and it’s difficult to root out."
Giuseppe Mascara, Gionatha Spinesi and Jorge Martinez scored for Catania. Fabio Caserta found the net for Palermo in the 64th to temporarily make it 2-1, then was shown a direct red card for a hard tackle to leave Palermo shorthanded with 10 men.
Torino and Genoa played to a 1-1 draw. Marco Borriello put Genoa ahead in the 47th and Salvatore Lanna equalized for Torino eight minutes later.
Also Sunday, it was Atalanta 5, Napoli 1; Cagliari 0, Livorno 0; Parma 1, Empoli 0; and, Siena 1, Lazio 1.