Rome, Sep 24 (DPA) Champions Inter Milan drubbed Napoli 3-1 to go top in the Italian Serie A football, one point clear of Juventus, who could leapfrog them when they visit Genoa late Thursday.
Inter Wednesday settled matters with the Naples side in the first five minutes that saw their two strikers Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito get the best of a napping defence.
Cameroon’s Eto’o on two minutes was the fourth Inter player able to touch the ball in a goal-mouth scramble to easily flick into the empty net, while Argentine Milito spurted past the defenders possibly from an off-side position.
Napoli replied with a Fabio Quagliarella header and drive from Uruguay’s Mariano Bogliacino, which forced good saves from Brazilian Julio Cesar before his colleague Morgan De Sanctis had to block from the onrushing Douglas Maicon.
Lucio, a defender Brazilian compatriot of Maicon, headed home a corner kick to round off the score in the 32nd minute. Seven minutes from the break Argentina’s Ezequiel Lavezzi pulled one back deflecting home a bad shot from Matteo Contini.
Inter have now 13 points from five games, with Juve and Sampdoria trailing on 12 and Fiorentina and surprising newcomers Parma on 10.
Samp left the leading position as guests Fiorentina beat them 2-0 and troubled giants AC Milan lost 1-0 at Udinese, who had Antonio Di Natale on target for the seventh time this season.
Milan had Frenchman Mathieu Flamini dismissed with six minutes left and lag now on seven points with two defeats suffered from five games.
Parma won 2-1 at 10-man Lazio, whose Serb defender Aleksandar Kolarov was sent off in the 45th minute after his foul was sanctioned with a spot kick.
Palermo and Roma played out a spectacular 3-3 draw under driving rain, while newcomers Bologna beat visiting Livorno 2-0.
Cagliari won 1-0 away to promoted Bari, and Siena and Chievo drew 0-0, the same score in which the game between Atalanta-Catania ended.
Bergamo side Atalanta notched their first point, but remain alone at the bottom and had new coach Antonio Conte dismissed in the dying minutes.
rounak