Late strike keeps Inter on top
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Diego Milito converted a late penalty to extend Inter Milan's lead in Serie A to seven points with a 1-0 win over Fiorentina on Sunday.
Inter is now trailed by city rival AC Milan, which moved above Juventus into second place following a 2-0 victory away to Catania. Juventus lost 0-2 at Cagliari.
At the San Siro, Inter's Milito converted a penalty five minutes from the end after being brought down by Gianluca Comotto.
In the late match, Milan needed two goals from Klaas Jan Huntelaar in injury time to snatch victory after a performance lacking in inspiration.
For Cagliari, Nene opened the scoring with a long range effort in the 30th minute that gave Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon no chance and Alessandro Matri added a second from a counter attack just a minute from time.
Inter is top with 35 points and Milan second on 28. Juventus is third with 27, three points and one place ahead of Sampdoria.
"This was a very important match and Inter played well," Inter coach Jose Mourinho said. "For 80 minutes my team played better and had the better scoring chances. We scored a fair goal and the referee ruled it out, but in the end the goal came."
Midfielder Sulley Muntari had the first chance of the match in the 14th minute, but fired into the side netting from short range after Milito had picked him out with a pass.
Both sides struggled to create chances in a physical first half and two weak Juan Vargas freekicks straight at Inter keeper Julio Cesar was the best that Fiorentina could produce.
Inter continued to dominate proceedings after halftime.
Walter Samuel had a header ruled out after Inter's Argentine defender was adjudged to have pulled Dario Dainelli's shirt. Milito then missed a good chance in the 61st minute. Samuel Eto'o and Dejan Stankovic linked up and played the Argentine in behind the Fiorentina defense, but Milito shot wide.
Alberto Gilardino hit the post for Fiorentina after making space for himself eight minutes from time, before Milito was brought down by Comotto to win the spot kick.
"Milito didn't have the greatest game, but he was always available and scored a very difficult penalty for us," Mourinho said.
In Catania, neither side managed to create many scoring chances. Clarence Seedorf shot into the side netting from Milan's best opening and Marco Borriello forced Catania keeper Mariano Andujar into a sharp save from close range.
Giuseppe Bellusci fired wide with Catania's best chance, having been set up by Nicolas Spolli.
After the break, neither side displayed much inspiration in attack and shots from outside the area from Seedorf and Alexandre Pato were the best either side produced.
Strikers Filippo Inzaghi and Huntelaar came on to boost Milan's attack and in injury time the pair linked up for the Dutch striker to score the opener.
Less than a minute later Huntelaar scored his second by chipping Andujar from the edge of the area.
