Two goals inside the first four minutes set Lazio on their way to a 4-2 defeat of nine-man Roma in the Derby della Capitale, while Palermo recovered from two goals down to draw with Serie A leaders FC Inter Milan.
The Biancocelesti had lost their last three league matches without scoring yet they were two up early on at the Stadio Olimpico through Goran Pandev and Mauro Zárate. Philippe Mexès (10) reduced the arrears but any hopes Roma had of a salvaging something were all but ended when Stephan Lichtsteiner (58) added a third and Christian Panucci (62) was dismissed. Mexès and Lazio’s Francelino Matuzalém (75) were also shown red. Despite having only nine men, Daniele De Rossi’s 81st-minute header gave the Giallorossi hope, which was extinguished soon after when Aleksandr Kolarov scored Lazio’s fourth.
There was also drama aplenty at San Siro, where Edison Cavani and Davide Succi struck twice in three second-half minutes to rescue a point for Palermo. Inter, who had earlier forged ahead through Mario Balotelli (15) and a penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimović (39), lead second-placed Juventus by ten points following the Bianconeri’s 3-2 loss at Genoa CFC. With the visitors a man down following Mauro Camoranesi’s dismissal (65), former Juventus striker Raffaele Palladino struck an 88th-minute winner for Genoa, who climb back above Fiorentina into fourth following the Viola’s 2-1 home win against Cagliari Calcio earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Clarence Seedorf scored the only goal as AC Milan won 1-0 at strugglers AC Chievo Verona to move within two points of Juventus.
At the other end, Torino FC edged out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 home win against Calcio Catania. The Granata are replaced in the bottom three by Bologna FC, beaten 4-1 at home by AC Siena, and US Lecce following a 3-1 home loss to UC Sampdoria. SSC Napoli-Atalanta BC was goalless. Reggina Calcio host UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Udinese Calcio on Sunday.