Serie A - Match Day 3

Live coverage and round-up (3rd match day of Serie A for Eurosport - 21 September 2006).

For my minute by minute updates of Roma v Inter Milan, please click here.

For my goal by goal coverage of the rest of Serie A please click here and then click on "match" for the game you wish to see.

Inter take three points in Rome

Inter spiced up the battle for Serie A by snatching three points tonight in Rome against Roma. The two favourites for the Scudetto clashed in exciting fashion and Ibrahimovic could have scored a hat-trick. But it was Hernan Crespo, five minutes before half-time, who broke the deadlock with what proved to be the decisive goal.

The former Chelsea striker was a thorn in Roma's side until he was replaced in the closing stages. His goal came at the end of a strong spell by Inter and was richly deserved. Stealing in from the left wing he turned Phillipe Mexes inside out before burying the ball in the net from a tight angle.

Inter went on to dominate the second half despite the sending off of Frenchman Patrick Viera. The game however was full of chances for both sides with Alexander Doni sparing Roma from a bigger defeat with a fine penalty save from the wasteful Ibrahimovic. The Swedish striker simply could not convert despite a number of glorious chances but, thankfully for him, Crespo's goal was sufficient.

Viera built on the good disciplinary record he started at Arsenal by kicking the ball away in the first half to earn a cheap yellow. He further impressed his new employers, Inter, by seeing his second red card of the season in the 90th minute after picking up another needless yellow.

Roma now lie fourth in the table one point behind Inter and three points behind surprise new leaders Palermo who came from behind to produce a spectacular 5-3 victory over Catania and move to the top of Serie A.

In the night's other matches the goal fest continued. Not to be outdone by Palermo's attacking verve, Sampdoria came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 against Udinese, and Cagliari and Livorno laid on a mid-table four goal thriller ending 2-2.

Elsewhere more sedentary results saw Atalanta draw 0-0 with Empoli thanks to a penalty save by the Empoli goalkeeper and Chievo fall to Lazio 0-1 at the hands of a strike by Lorenzo Squizzi and a goal by Chievo's new signing from Palermo, Denis Godeas, being ruled out in the 84th minute.

AC Milan continued their long road back with a third straight win, a 1-0 victory over Ascoli at the San Siro courtesy of a goal by Czech international Marek Jankulovski, whilst Messina moved up to second place in the table after beating Reggina 2-0 with a brace from Cristian Rigano.

Siena striker and Leichenstein international Mario Frick was also on target twice to fire his team to a 1-2 win over Torino. 0-2 down after 35 minutes, Roberto Muzzi pulled one back for the home side but an equaliser eluded them.

In the final game of the night Fiorentina overcame Parma 1-0 through another former Chelsea player, Adrian Mutu, but the Italian World Cup star Luca Toni, who set up the goal, was sent off in the 90th minute and Fiorentina remain five points adrift at the foot of the table.