Derby success underlines Inter supremacy

First-half goals from Adriano and Dejan Stanković helped FC Internazionale Milano claim the derby honours with a 2-1 victory against AC Milan that lifted them nine points clear of Juventus after the Bianconeri drew with UC Sampdoria.

Adriano opener
Inter started the day seven points ahead of Juventus, with AC Milan a further point adrift, and had the better of the early opportunities with Adriano heading over and Stanković dawdling to allow a glorious chance to pass him by. It mattered little, though, when Adriano nodded in the opener after 29 minutes from close range following Maicon's cross.

Late response
Milan were breached again on the stroke of half-time when Zlatan Ibrahimović headed down a long ball and Stanković rifled it low inside the near post. The game drifted after the interval until Marek Jankulovski darted to the byline and cut the ball back for Pato to fire in. Filippo Inzaghi, twice, and Pato were both denied by Júlio César as the Rossoneri produced a late onslaught to try to earn a draw.

Unlucky Juve
Juventus had faltered earlier as they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against Sampdoria. The visitors opened the scoring ten minutes in when Giampaolo Pazzini found the net following an Antonio Cassano pass but the hosts dominated thereafter. Pavel Nedvěd and Alessandro Del Piero both struck the woodwork before Amauri (62) finally restored parity by bravely heading in Sebastian Giovinco's cross.

Roma defeated
With three goals in seven second-half minutes sending AS Roma tumbling to a 3-0 reverse at Atalanta BC, Genoa CFC seemed set to leapfrog the capital club and opponents ACF Fiorentina into fourth after Thiago Motta, Raffaele Palladino and Diego Milito's penalty gave them a 3-0 lead – despite Giuseppe Biava's dismissal when the score was 1-0. But Adrian Mutu replied from the penalty spot then struck twice more to ensure the Viola stayed fourth, a place ahead of their hosts. Elsewhere, Cagliari Calcio beat US Lecce 2-0 while the day's other three matches ended in draws.