Inter Milan maintained their 11-point lead at the top of the
table with a 2-0 win at Chievo on Sunday as Serie A resumed after
the suspension imposed following last week's riot in Sicily.
Goals from Adriano and Hernan Crespo sealed Inter's victory in
Verona and extended the club's Serie A record of consecutive league
wins to 15 games, equalling the best winning sequence in the
Spanish and German leagues.
Spain's Real Madrid won 15 games on the trot in the 1960-61
season, while Germany's Bayern Munich equalled the feat in the
2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.?
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Inter, the reigning champions, have 60 points from their 22 matches
played, followed by Roma on 49.
Inter got off to a perfect start at Chievo.
Dejan Stankovic fed Adriano who was forced wide, but despite
shooting from a very acute angle the Brazil international's
left-footed drive from the edge of the box went in off the
post.
Chievo went close to leveling in the 37th minute when Victor
Obinna's goalbound effort was superbly intercepted by Brazilian
defender Maxwell.
Inter went further ahead six minutes after the break when
Crespo's right-footed shot bobbled awkwardly, completely deceiving
Chievo keeper Vincenzo Sicignano.
Second-placed Roma remain 11 points off the pace after their 3-0
home win over Parma at the Olympic stadium, which was open to
fans.
Empoli climbed to fourth with a 1-0 victory at third-placed
Palermo, while Lazio are tied with Catania for fifth place after
both sides drew.
Lazio were held to a goalless draw at Atalanta, while Catania,
whose match at Sicilian rivals Messina kicked-off an hour late due
a waterlogged pitch ended 1-1.
AC Milan boosted their hopes of a Champions League spot after a
2-1 home win over Livorno at the San Siro where new signing Ronaldo
made his debut, coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute.
The San Siro was open but only to its 37,000 season-ticket
holders after the club updated their security arrangements.
Domestic soccer was halted after a policeman was killed last
week when fans went on the rampage at the derby match between
Catania and Palermo, forcing the Italian government to introduce
strict new security measures to curb hooliganism.
Clubs whose stadium security is not in line with legal
requirements are being forced to play their games behind closed
doors and Chievo's was one of four grounds without fans.
A minute's silence was observed at the start of all of the day's
matches in memory of Filippo Raciti, the policeman who died after
being attacked by Catania fans on February 2.
Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini slammed the decision to play
matches behind closed doors.
"To play without the public makes no sense," he told SKY
Italia.
"It would be better to stop (the championship) altogether and
restart in September when everything has been sorted out."
Reggina boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 win at Torino
while Fiorentina beat Udinese 2-0. Cagliari drew 2-2 with Siena and
Sampdoria defeated bottom club Ascoli 2-0.
Francesco Totti gave Roma the lead against Parma with a flicked
header before further second-half goals from Simone Perrotta and
Rodrigo Taddei wrapped up the three points.
Czech midfielder Marek Jankulovski was AC Milan's match-winner
with a fierce 25-yard shot.
Gennaro Gattuso gave AC Milan the lead before Livorno captain
Cristiano Lucarelli equalised.
Inter Milan's winning run
October 25, 2006: Inter 4 Livorno 1
October 29, 2006: AC Milan 3 Inter 4
November 05, 2006: Inter 2 Ascoli 0
November 12, 2006: Parma 1 Inter 2
November 19, 2006: Inter 1 Reggina 0
November 26, 2006: Palermo 1 Inter 2
December 03, 2006: Inter 2 Siena 0
December 10, 2006: Empoli 0 Inter 3
December 17, 2006: Inter 2 Messina 0
December 20, 2006: Lazio 0 Inter 2
December 23, 2006: Inter 2 Atalanta 1
January 13, 2007: Torino 1 Inter 3
January 21, 2007: Inter 3 Fiorentina 1
January 28, 2007: Sampdoria 0 Inter 2
February 11, 2007: Chievo 0 Inter 2
(China Daily via AFP February 13, 2007)