Rocchi keeps Lazio on course for Champions League berth
Lazio's Cristian Ledesma of Argentina (center) challenges for the ball with Sampdoria's Fabio Quagliarella (left) and Fabio Bazzani during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Sampdoria, in Rome's Olympic stadium on Sunday. Lazio won 1-0. AP |
Tommaso Rocchi's headed goal in the 23rd minute clinched a fourth successive win for the 2000 champions and moved them to within two points of third-placed Palermo, who lost 2-0 at Sicilian rivals Messina.
Faltering Palermo have 45 points from their 27 matches played, followed by Lazio, who have played a game less, on 43 points.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito applauded his players for grinding out another precious victory in their quest to rub shoulders with Europe's elite clubs next season.
"What pleases me most is the character of this team," he said.
"The performance wasn't spectacular, but the result was earned through hard work and determination. We'll need more of that if we are to finish in the top four."
Empoli reclaimed fifth place from AC Milan with a dogged 1-0 win at Udinese where Nicola Pozzi scored the only goal in the first half.
Empoli have 41 points, one more than AC Milan who came from a goal down to beat Chievo 3-1 on Saturday.
Sergio Pellissier gave Chievo a 17th-minute lead, before AC Milan responded with goals from Alberto Gilardino, Massimo Oddo and Clarence Seedorf.
Luca Toni scored twice in Fiorentina's 5-1 thrashing of strugglers Torino to take his tally for the season to 18, the best in Italy's top division.
Toni's team-mate Alessandro Gamberini also scored twice in the victory which moved the Florence club, who were deducted 15 points for their involvement in the Italian match-fixing scandal, up to seventh.
Cagliari moved further away from the drop zone with a 2-0 home win against Atalanta, while Giuseppe Rossi's stoppage-time penalty salvaged a point for Parma in their 2-2 draw with relegation rivals Reggina.
Rossi's goal went some way to making up for his penalty miss in the first half.
Catania, who have been forced to play at neutral stadiums as punishment for crowd trouble last month which resulted in the death of a policeman, drew 1-1 with Siena behind closed doors at Rimini.
On Saturday, Inter Milan tightened their grip on the title after they won 2-1 at Livorno and second-placed Roma only managed a 1-1 draw at bottom club Ascoli.
The results left Inter, whose Serie A record of 17 consecutive wins was ended on Wednesday after a 1-1 home draw with Udinese, with a massive 16-point lead over their closest rivals, with 12 games left to play.
Inter fell behind to Cristiano Lucarelli's superb free-kick before goals from Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sealed victory for the Scudetto holders.
Reigning champions Inter remain unbeaten on 70 points, followed by Roma on 54 points.
AFP
(China Daily 03/06/2007 page24)
