Serie A wrap: Inter stalk rivals, Palermo upset

Inter Milan cut the gap on league-leading rivals AC Milan to two points with a 1-0 victory over Cagliari in the Serie A on Saturday.

Leonardo’s side took the lead in the seventh minute, when Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia got the final touch on Moroccan midfielder Houssine Kharja’s deflected shot.

Replays showed Ranocchia appeared to be in an offside position when Kharja fired his shot in, but the goal stood and it was all the European champions required to get the three points to maintain the pressure on their city rivals.

Bologna caused an upset when they pipped Palermo 1-0 courtesy of a 90th-minute winner to substitute Daniele Paponi.

The visitors at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara were reduced to ten men in the 57th minute when Argentine left-back Santiago Garcia was dismissed with a second yellow card, but it came as little surprise given four other Palermo players were also on their first warning.

Paponi’s persistence paid dividends in the dying stages as Bologna moved to 12th on the table, while Palermo missed the chance to rise into the top six.