Roma round off winning trio

AS Roma kept pace with Serie A leaders AC Milan thanks to a 4-1 victory against FC Internazionale at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday to round off a weekend when only the top three sides won.

Late flurry
After a tight first half, Antonio Cassano scored just seconds before the interval to put Roma ahead. Mancini doubled the lead on the hour but Christian Vieri reduced the deficit to give the home side a nervy last quarter of an hour. After 89 minutes, however, Iván Cordoba was sent off after conceding a penalty from which Francesco Totti scored to ease the home supporters' fears. Mancini doubled his tally late on to complete the victory.

Juve comeback
Juventus FC had temporarily climbed above Roma thanks to a stunning comeback against Brescia Calcio on Saturday. Trailing 2-0 at half-time in the Mario Rigamonti after goals from Stefano Mauri and Andrea Caracciolo, the Italian champions scored three times in 22 minutes to secure all three points - a vital boost ahead of a week when Juve take on RC Deportivo La Coruña in the UEFA Champions League and Milan in Serie A. Pavel Nedved orchestrated the Juventus reply, winning the 53rd-minute penalty which Fabrizio Miccoli tucked away and driving home the winner after Marco Di Vaio had levelled the scores with a wonderful strike.

Masterful Milan
Milan ensured they moved back into a commanding lead with a 3-1 win against Sampdoria UC on Sunday. It had seemed to be all plain sailing for Milan ahead of their Champions League tie with AC Sparta Praha in midweek once Andrea Pirlo put them ahead with a spectacular 17th-minute drive, but Cristiano Doni soon made it 1-1. Just before the interval Milan were ahead again when Filippo Inzaghi nodded in a Giuseppe Pancaro cross and Kaka made it 3-1 during the second half.

Ferrari leveller
With S.S. Lazio's away game against Bologna FC postponed due to a snowy pitch, Parma AC had the chance to climb into fourth place but were held 2-2 by Modena FC at the Alberto Braglia. Modena had looked set for only their second win in 19 games but Matteo Ferrari's 87th-minute equaliser for Parma denied them all three points.

Lucchini off
The other four games also ended in draws, with sixth-placed Udinese Calcio held 1-1 at home by second-bottom AC Perugia and US Lecce and AC Siena playing out a goalless draw at the Communale Via del Mare. AC Chievo Verona's home match with Empoli FC was also 0-0, although the visitors had to play the second half with ten men after Stefano Lucchini was sent off for two bookable offences.

Ganz dismissed
There was also a red card in the 1-1 draw between relegation rivals Ancona Calcio and Reggina Calcio, with Maurizio Ganz dismissed for handling the ball five minutes after the break. The striker had scored a tenth-minute goal to give Ancona hope of registering their first win of the season but David Di Michele equalised on 41 minutes.