Inter regain six-point lead

ROME – Inter Milan beat Palermo 2-1 at home on Sunday to restore the champions’ six-point lead at the top of Serie A after a troubled week.

Goals by Patrick Vieira and Luis Jimenez settled nerves at the club after coach Roberto Mancini said he was leaving at the end of the season following last week’s Champions League last 16 defeat by Liverpool. Mancini changed his mind the following day.Inter have 67 points from 28 games, while second-placed AS Roma have 61 after coming from behind to beat AC Milan 2-1 on Saturday.Fiorentina tightened their grip on fourth place, worth a slot in the Champions League qualifiers, with a 3-1 home win over Genoa to move four points ahead of fifth-placed Milan.Juventus are seven points behind Roma in third position after beating Napoli 2-1 on Sunday.At the San Siro, France midfielder Vieira nodded in a perfectly weighted chip from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to put Inter in front in the fifth minute.The Sicilian visitors equalized in the 25th when the second of two quick-fire Julio Cesar saves ricocheted off Marco Materazzi and into the goal.Jimenez had the ball in the net two minutes later but his header from the rebound of a Vieira shot that hit the crossbar was disallowed for offside.But Chile international Jimenez restored Inter’s advantage in the 36th when he threw off a marker with some smart control with his heel before firing home the winner.In Florence, Mario Santana volleyed the hosts in front after Adrian Mutu had set him up with a delightful lob.Romania striker Mutu, returning from almost a month out with a knee injury, drilled in his 15th league goal of the season.Nampa-ReutersMancini changed his mind the following day.Inter have 67 points from 28 games, while second-placed AS Roma have 61 after coming from behind to beat AC Milan 2-1 on Saturday.Fiorentina tightened their grip on fourth place, worth a slot in the Champions League qualifiers, with a 3-1 home win over Genoa to move four points ahead of fifth-placed Milan.Juventus are seven points behind Roma in third position after beating Napoli 2-1 on Sunday.At the San Siro, France midfielder Vieira nodded in a perfectly weighted chip from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to put Inter in front in the fifth minute.The Sicilian visitors equalized in the 25th when the second of two quick-fire Julio Cesar saves ricocheted off Marco Materazzi and into the goal.Jimenez had the ball in the net two minutes later but his header from the rebound of a Vieira shot that hit the crossbar was disallowed for offside.But Chile international Jimenez restored Inter’s advantage in the 36th when he threw off a marker with some smart control with his heel before firing home the winner.In Florence, Mario Santana volleyed the hosts in front after Adrian Mutu had set him up with a delightful lob.Romania striker Mutu, returning from almost a month out with a knee injury, drilled in his 15th league goal of the season.Nampa-Reuters