Inter Milan tightened their grip on the Serie A title after they won 2-1 at Livorno and second-placed Roma only managed a 1-1 draw at bottom club Ascoli.
ROME: Inter Milan tightened their grip on the Serie A title after they won 2-1 at Livorno and second-placed Roma only managed a 1-1 draw at bottom club Ascoli.
The results left Inter, whose Serie A record of 17 consecutive wins was ended on Wednesday after a 1-1 home draw with Udinese, with a massive 16-point lead over their closest rivals, with 12 games left to play. Inter fell behind to Cristiano Lucarelli’s superb free-kick before goals from Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sealed victory for the Scudetto holders. Inter had to play the last eight minutes with 10 men following the late dismissal of Maicon for sarcastically applauding the referee after the Brazilian defender had been shown his first yellow card.
Reigning champions Inter remain unbeaten on 70 points, followed by Roma on 54 points. AC Milan boosted their chances of claiming a Champions League place for next season with a 3-1 home win over Chievo in the day’s late match. Sergio Pellissier gave Chievo a 17th-minute lead, before AC Milan responded with goals from Alberto Gilardino, Massimo Oddo and Clarence Seedorf. Victory left AC Milan tied for fourth place on 40 points with Lazio, who play Sampdoria on Sunday.
Ibrahimovic, whose goal for Inter was his 12th of the season, refused to go as far as to say that the title race was effectively over.
“Everything is in our hands and we have to make sure we don’t make any mistakes from now until the end of the season,” the 25-year-old said. Inter’s gritty victory on the Tuscan coast was the ideal way to go into Tuesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg away to Valencia. Inter threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 in the first leg.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}