Inter clear after Sampdoria held at Lazio

Sampdoria lost ground on Inter Milan at the top of Serie A on Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Lazio in a game where both teams finished with 10 men.

Champions Inter lead Sampdoria by two points having humbled Genoa 5-0 on Saturday while Juventus and Fiorentina, who drew 1-1 in Turin, are a further two points behind.

Sampdoria needed a win to join Inter on 19 points at the top but despite taking the lead through Giampaolo Pazzini, they were pegged back by a goal from Francesco Matuzalem.

Lazio started the game the brighter and Argentine forward Mauro Zarate fired just wide of the far post before Antonio Cassano almost gave Sampdoria the lead up the other end.

The visitors went in front on 40 minutes after some neat passing before Marco Padalino, who would later be sent off, crossed for Pazzini to head home.

But only two minutes later Brazilian Matuzalem broke from midfield and ran between Sampdoria’s centre-backs before latching onto Tommaso Rocchi’s lobbed through ball to shoot across Luca Castellazzi into the far corner.

Padalino received his marching orders 10 minutes in the the second period but Roberto Baronio was also dismissed for Lazio on 73 minutes.

Cassano almost snatched victory for Sampdoria six minutes from time as his long range effort beat Fernando Muslera but clipped the corner of post and crossbar.

But Sampdoria coach Luigi Del Nieri will have been furious that two penalty appeals in the last five minutes were turned down, the first when Muslera came out and punched Pazzini in the head after the striker beat him to the ball and the second when Mobido Diakite barged Reto Ziegler.

On Saturday, Inter made a statement of intent in their quest for a fifth straight scudetto crown with a stunning away victory.

Goals from Esteban Cambiasso, Mario Balotelli and a stunning volley from the halfway line from Dejan Stankovic had Inter in control at the break before Patrick Vieira and Maicon wrapped things up.

It was a win made even more impressive as first choice strike pair Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o both sat the match out with injuries.

Promoted Parma moved up to fifth after Bulgarian forward Valeri Bojinov scored the only goal of the game at home to Siena.

Walter Mazzarri’s first game in charge of Napoli ended in victory after Cristian Maggio struck in injury time to sink Bologna 2-1.

Catania and Atalanta recorded their first victories of the season, respectively 2-1 at home to Cagliari and 3-1 at Udinese.

Struggling AC Milan host AS Roma in Sunday’s late match with the seven-time European champions beginning the game in 14th place in Serie A.

They are only three points above the drop zone and have the second worst attack behind rock bottom Livorno.