Mancini raises Roma ambition

Mancini scored the only goal of the game as AS Roma defeated ten-man US Città di Palermo 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday night to close the gap on Serie A leaders FC Internazionale Milano to four points.

Rinaudo off
Roma dominated the first half but struggled to create any clear chances, coming closest when Simone Perrotta flashed a close-range volley narrowly wide. The momentum swung decidedly in Roma's favour on 57 minutes when Leandro Rinaudo was shown a straight red card for a bad foul on Matteo Brighi. Two minutes after that Roma took the lead, Mancini heading in Rodrigo Taddei's corner from the right. In the day's other game UC Sampdoria won 1-0 at home to AC Siena to move up to sixth in Serie A, Antonio Cassano getting the goal on the stroke of half-time. Inter will have the chance to regain their seven-point cushion if they can win at Udinese Calcio on Sunday.