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Inter´s 11-match winning run away from home ends
ROME (AFP) - Inter Milan's 11-match winning run away from home came to a halt at Reggina on Saturday when Roberto Mancini's Italian league leaders could only manage a 0-0 draw.
Unbeaten Inter's amazing record -- 25 wins and five draws in the league this season -- has meant a draw is seen as a failure but they no doubt found solace in their 18-point lead with eight matches to go.
Second-placed AS Roma gained some ground with their 2-0 victory against Catania and third-placed Lazio also clamied three points in a 1-0 home win against Messina but they are still 25 points behind Inter.
The fall-out from the Italian match-fixing scandal saw Juventus stripped of the 2005-06 title, while second-placed AC Milan were deducted 30 points.
With no Juve this season and AC Milan given an eight-point penalty, there has been a certain amount of inevitability about Inter's championship stroll.
The last time Inter failed to win on an away ground was a 0-0 draw at Udinese at the end of October.
However with first-choice players Patrick Vieira, Brazilian Maxwell, Dejan Stankovic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic missing and Reggina fighting relegation, there was no shame in the result. Julio Cruz and Olivier Dacourt particularly had good chances to find the net in the second half.
Roma's Francesco Tavano and Mirko Vucinic were on target in their win against Catania which was played at a neutral venue because Catania's stadium has not come up to safety requirements.
Roma even rested a number of their first choice players with their biggest match of the season so far in three days time against Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-final, second leg. They won 2-1 at home in the first fixture.
Of the 11 Roma players who started against Catania, only two are almost certain to start the match at Old Trafford -- defender Philippe Mexes and midfielder David Pizarro. Francesco Totti, Brazilian Doni, Rodrigo Taddei and Cristian Chivu did not play and Brazilian Mancini, Daniele De Rossi, and Christian Panucci came on as substitutes.
It was Roma's first away victory since beating Torino 2-1 13 matches ago.
AS Roma's city rivals Lazio managed to win their eighth consecutive match following Guglielmo Stendardo's strike on the stroke of half-time against Messina at the Olympic stadium. Lazio's late-season charge looks set to earn them Champions League football next season.
Early-season leaders Palermo, in fourth place with 48 points, lost 3-1 at home to Cagliari meaning they have not managed to win in their last nine matches.
Palermo's defeat could spur on AC Milan in their late match (1830 GMT) at home to Empoli where victory would see them jump a place to fifth a point behind Palermo who occupy the final Champions League qualifying spot.
AC Milan then travel to Bayern Munich on Wednesday for their Champions League quarter-final, second leg having drawn 2-2 in the first match.
Italian football league table after Saturday afternoon's matches. AC Milan v Empoli at 1830 GMT (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Inter Milan
30
25
5
0
63
23
80
Roma
30
18
8
4
58
23
62
Lazio
30
17
7
6
52
24
55
Palermo
31
13
9
9
44
37
48
Empoli
29
12
9
8
32
28
45
AC Milan
29
14
10
5
39
25
44
Fiorentina
30
16
8
6
51
26
41
Sampdoria
30
10
9
11
37
36
39
Atalanta
30
8
12
10
43
42
36
Udinese
30
9
9
12
38
43
36
Cagliari
30
7
12
11
26
33
33
Livorno
30
7
11
12
31
45
32
Torino
30
8
8
14
24
40
32
Catania
31
8
8
15
37
60
32
Siena
30
6
14
10
27
34
31
Chievo
30
6
10
14
32
41
28
Reggina
30
9
10
11
38
41
26
Parma
30
5
10
15
25
48
25
Messina
30
5
9
16
28
49
24
Ascoli
30
3
10
17
22
49
19
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