Roma closed to within just one point of Serie A leaders FC Internazionale Milano after a late Daniele De Rossi penalty gave them a 3-2 home win against Genoa CFC while AC Milan beat Cagliari Calcio 3-1 at San Siro.

Roma had gone 2-0 up early on at the Stadio Olimpico but were then pegged back by two goals in a minute just before the hour. Taddei had given the home side the lead after 14 minutes and Mirko Vuèiniæ doubled their advantage three minutes later. However, Marco Rossi struck 13 minutes after half-time for eighth-placed Genoa and then Honduran international midfielder Julío Cesar Leon equalised a minute later.

Roma, who also conceded twice at home against Manchester United FC in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday, were therefore indebted to De Rossi's spot-kick ten minutes from time which sealed the win and put the Giallorossi on 68 points from 32 games, just behind Inter who travel to Atalanta BC on Sunday.

Milan moved above Udinese Calcio and into the top five after two Filippo Inzaghi goals helped them to victory. Kaká gave the home side an eighth-minute lead and Inzaghi got his first just after the half-hour. Daniele Conti pulled one back for Cagliari, who remain in the bottom three after the defeat, but Inzaghi, starting only his eighth league game of the season, got his second after 69 minutes to complete the win and put the Rossoneri within one point of the UEFA Champions League places.