Lazio goes five clear in Serie A
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Lazio extended its surprising run at the top of the Italian Serie A table with a 2-1 win over Cagliari yesterday, with Sergio Floccari scoring one goal and setting up another.
Floccari scored from the edge of the area in the 21st minute at the Stadio Olimpico and then provided a pass that resulted in Stefano Mauri's goal in the 53rd before Alessandro Matri pulled one back for Cagliari in the 59th.
Lazio has won six of its opening eight matches and has 19 points, five ahead of European champion Inter Milan, which faced Sampdoria later, and AC Milan, which plays at Napoli today.
Lazio's success has provided a sharp contrast with the struggles of city rival AS Roma, which settled for a 0-0 draw at last-place Parma in the new Serie A lunchtime fixture, a result which will increase pressure on embattled coach Claudio Ranieri.
Roma has won only two of eight in Serie A and lost 1-3 at home to Basel in the Champions League last Tuesday.
Also yesterday, Juventus forward Vincenzo Iaquinta had a penalty saved in a 0-0 draw at Bologna.
Juventus was awarded a controversial penalty in the 34th when Milos Krasic fell to the ground after slight contact with defender Daniele Portanova. After vehement protests from Bologna, the hosts got some satisfaction when goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano saved Iaquinta's spot kick.
Elsewhere, French forward Cyril Thereau scored his first Serie A goal in injury time to give Chievo a 2-1 win over Cesena and move the Verona club into fourth place, one point behind Inter and Milan.
In other matches, it was: Genoa 1, Catania 0; Lecce 2, Brescia 1; and Udinese 2, Palermo 1.
