Inter Milan edge Palermo to retain six-point lead

Inter lead on 64 points from 28 games as they look to win their third straight title. The Serie A has two of its 10 last rounds scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday.

 At the Giuseppe Meazza, the title-holders took off at a furious pace before their home crowd as they needed a convincing showing after the midweek exit from the Champions League.

 Their grit paid off after just five minutes, when Patrick Vieira nodded home to finish off a pass-and-go with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who returned an exact assist for the towering Frenchman.

 Leandro Rinaudo also tried a header for Palermo on 15 minutes, finding Julio Cesar ready to block before Vieira aimed another header high.

 A fluke goal allowed the Sicily guests to equalize on 25 minutes as Julio Cesar parried a low swerving free kick from Fabrizio Miccoli, but was beaten when a tap in from Brazilian compatriot Fabio Simplicio bounced off defender Marco Materazzi.

 Chilean Luis Jimenez put Inter back in the lead 11 minutes later deftly controlling the ball in the area for a sure-fire shot.

 There were no threats after the break for Inter, who curbed with ease the feeble efforts from Palermo and came close through a fast but central drive from Ibrahimovic.

 "These are three important points, considering what happened this week and yesterday's win from Roma," Inter coach Roberto Mancini said.

 "We played a great game in the first half, when we should have scored more than two goals. In the second we did not create much, but we did not suffer that much."

   Fourth-place Fiorentina beat Genoa 3-1, remaining four points adrift from Juventus, who Sunday evening snatched a 1-0 win over Napoli through a late goal from Vincenzo Iaquinta.

 The Florence side advanced four points above Milan in the race for the four Champions League berths thanks to goals from Alberto Santana, the returning Adrian Mutu and the young Riccardo Pazzini.

 Udinese trail Milan after drawing 2-2 with Lazio on Saturday, Sampdoria beat 3-1 troubled Catania, battling to avoid relegation with Livorno and Parma, who drew 1-1.

 Struggling Reggina won 4-0 over Siena to draw level as second-last with Empoli, who lost 4-1 at Atalanta, while Cagliari beat Torino 3-0 but remained in last position.

By Alberto Cagliano, dpa