Viola on the march after Cerci winner

Fiorentina moved into the top half of the table as Alessio Cerci scored his first ever Serie A goal to beat Chievo 1-0 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence on Sunday.

Cerci came off the bench to strike nine minutes from time, following up from close range after Alberto Gilardino’s shot had been blocked by goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino.

Frenchman Kevin Constant twice came close to equalising for Chievo in the dying moments but shot wastefully wide with the first and prodded the second straight at goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

The 24-year-old Cerci almost doubled his tally in injury time but his effort on the break hit the outside of the post.

On Saturday, champions Inter Milan needed a dubious penalty award to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Brescia.

The visitors had opened the scoring on 14 minutes through Andrea Caracciolo but Samuel Eto’o’s 17th goal in 16 games this season — one more than he managed in the whole of the last campaign — from the spot 17 minutes from time levelled matters.

The big game of Sunday was due to kick off at 3pm local time with leaders Lazio hosting Roma in the Rome derby.