By Alberto Cagliano Nov 1, 2009, 21:04 GMT
Rome - Serie A champions Inter Milan extended their lead over Juventus and Sampdoria to seven points Sunday as Diego Milito and Douglas Maicon were on target in a 2-0 defeat of Livorno.
Inter have 28 points from 11 games, while Juve sit on 21 points after losing 3-2 Saturday at home to Napoli, who rallied from two down.
Livorno played a good first half before their home crowd as they sought a third straight win despite the absence of striker Cristiano Lucarelli.
Inter struggled at times in an evenly balanced first half, and Livorno had a good chance on 38 minutes with a quick free kick from Antonio Candreva that Julio Cesar had trouble deflecting.
Four minutes after the break Argentina's Milito scored his seventh goal with a low drive from the limit of the area to extract the maximum from Inter's first decent chance.
Milito is now level with Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini and Slovak Marek Hamsik, who scored a brace against Juventus.
Livorno pressed in search of an equalizer but failed to truly worry the champions, who secured the win with a strike from Brazil defender Douglas Maicon with 10 minutes left.
AC Milan are fourth on 19 points after beating Parma 2-0 late Saturday, while Samp drew 0-0 Sunday at home with promoted Bari, whose Brazilian forward Paulo Barreto failed with a free kick in the dying seconds.
Fiorentina beat guests Catania 3-1 through a brace from Marco Marchionni and a late goal from international Alberto Gilardino in a game that both sides closed with 10 men.
The Florence captain Dario Dainelli was sent off with his side leading 1-0, while Ciro Capuano was dismissed in the second half shortly after his teammates drew level.
Visiting Udinese and Chievo drew 1-1 in Verona, while troubled Roma closed a three-loss run coming from behind to clinch a 2-1 win against visiting Bologna.
Lazio, the other side from the capital, drew 1-1 at bottom-side Siena, and Sardinia side Cagliari crushed Atalanta 3-0 to celebrate their 1,000th game and 300th win in the top flight.
Cagliari, who won a single scudetto in 1970, lie level on 16 points with Palermo. The Sicily side closed the weekend with a 0-0 draw against guests Genoa, now level with Napoli and Parma on 17 points.
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