Inter Milan bounced back after a terrible week by beating Chievo 2-0 to keep their title aspirations intact.
Inter, whose 3-0 Derby della Madonnina defeat by AC Milan was followed by a 5-2 midweek humbling at the hands of Schalke 04 in the Champions League, needed a win to restore morale and their hopes of securing a sixth successive Scudetto. Goalless at the break, second-half strikes by Esteban Cambiasso and Maicon completed their mission.
The win took the Nerazzurri a point above second-placed Napoli, who visit Bologna on Sunday, and within two of leaders Milan, away to Fiorentina the same day. Chievo’s defeat leaves them six points clear of the bottom three.
Udinese thought that they had done enough to salvage a point against Roma and keep their Champions League challenge on track after Antonio Di Natale’s 26th league goal of the campaign cancelled out Francesco Totti’s penalty.
Totti, however, turned in John Arne Riise’s cut-back in added time to move Roma, in sixth, to within three points of the fourth-placed Udinese.