Week 30 review: Inter's Scudetto?

Once again Inter Milan received the rub of the green with a rather strange own goal at the Stadio Friuli, after spending the majority of the match on the back foot thanks to an aggressive Udinese performance. Juventus shot themselves in the foot once again as they have done so often this season, with the defeats to Cagliari and then Udinese being the case and point, by conceding a last minute goal in a 3 - 3 draw with Chievo. Milan returned to winning ways, but only just, with Genoa, Roma and Fiorentina keeping up the fight for the third and fourth Champions League spots.

Scudetto Race

Udinese 0 - 1 Inter Milan
Udinese started the brightest of the two sides and that pattern continued throughout. Udinese, without talisman Di Natale, put serious pressure on Inter for the first half hour and many within the Stadium would have believe that they should have been awarded a penalty when Julio Cesar appeared to bring down Fabio Quagliarella. Whilst the replay showed that Cesar did not touch the ball, it also showed a likely dive from the Udinese hit man who frankly was lucky not to have been booked. Udinese continued their pressure though and after the break only the pace of Cordoba stopped Quagliarella once again after being fed through on the counter by Simone Pepe. It was absorbing stuff, but I began to realise than if Udinese did not sooner rather than later take one of their chances they would be punished. They almost were on 65 minutes when Dejan Stankovic missed an open goal after Zlatan had played the ball across. Patrick Viera was introduced soon after, and his influence allowed Inter to take the lead in bizarre circumstances. Viera stumbled when in the area and Isla turned the ball into the back of the net. Udinese nearly equalised in stoppages after Asamoah's superb play, by Obodo sent the ball wide.

Juvetus 3 - 3 Chievo
Despite Chievo's fine form of late, I believe they surprised almost everyone in taking a point from Turin. Juve welcomed back most of their squad with Nedved and Camoranesi on the bench. Chievo caused numerous problems in the early going and Pellissier opened the scoring after out sprinting Chielini down the right channel. The Turin faithful were shocked but not deterred as Chielini redeemed himself with a stunning left foot volley they came back of the bar into the back of the net. It was a goal Del Piero would have been proud of. However, in a carbon copy of Chievo's first goal they took the lead again, although this time Pellissier outpaced Melberg and placed the ball into the bottom left corner leaving the score at half time 2-1 to Chievo. Juventus however equalised by accident soon after the restart as Camoranesi headed Molinaro's ball back into the area for it to deflect of a Yepes into the back of the net. Juve dominated after this creating chance after chance and finally Iaqunita headed another superb Camoranesi cross into the back of the net. However, Juve blew it in injury time as Pellissier completed his hatrick with a header after again Melberg was beaten for pace.

The race for the Champions League

AC Milan 2 - 0 Lecce
AM Milan relieved a significant amount of pressure from their shoulders by picking up a crucial three points against Lecce, despite both goals coming in injury time. Milan totally dominated play throughout the match with Lecce getting all ten men behind the ball right from the word go. Pato perhaps should have opened the scoring in the first half after his electrifying pace torn the Lecce defence to shreds but he failed to cut the ball back to the ever green Inzaghi who waited for the pass by the penalty spot. Lecce to their credit defended well, but the Introduction of Ronaldinho after the break was a good tactical move, as his skill and ability created the Lecce defence no end of problems with him winning a number of free kicks that Milan failed to deliver from. It looked like Milan would drop another two points but they have been superb at home this season and kept up their 14 game unbeaten streak at home assured when in injury time Senders headed a Pirlo free kick, but Ronaldinho was credited with the goal as it deflected in off his head. Milan doubled their lead deep into stoppages when Ronaldinho flicked the ball down the penalty box line to Shevchenko who crossed superbly for Inzaghi to head home.

Roma 2-1 Bologna
Roma got back on track thanks to Francesco Totti who converted two penalties against a hard-working Bologna side. Marrazzina split the scoring with a header from Sergio Volpi's corner but Roma held on for an important win ahead of the Rome derby next week.

Atalanta 1 - 2 Fiorentina
Fiorentina rode their luck in picking up three points from Bergamo. This fixture opened super Sunday and was played at a frantic pace, but again it was Atalanta and not the big away side that was piling on the pressure and after the break they took a deserved lead after Plasmati's effort took a huge deflection leaving Frey with no chance at all. However, Atalanta blew it a few moments later when Peluso brought down Gilardino in the area and was sent off for his efforts. Stefan Jovetic stepped up to convert for his first Fiorentina goal. For Atalanta it went from bad to worse in injury time when Gilardino fired home to give the Viola three points.

Reggina 0 - 1 Genoa
Genoa just do not look like slowing down at all, and continued to give themselves a Champions League chance with a win against rock bottom Reggina thanks to a tap in from the superb Thiago Motta.

The Best of the rest

Siena 2 - 0 Lazio
Siena continued their good home form by putting Lazio down in Tuscany. A superb opening striker from Calaio after 25 minutes suggested that my beloved side would go down for the third time in their last three games and that was to be the case when Maccarone embarresed Fernando Muslera who rightly came out after a long ball was played into the area but made a fresh air clearance that allowed Maccarone to tap home.


Palermo 1 - 0 Torino
Things went from bad to worse for giants Torino who fell again in Serie A thanks to the superb Edison Cavani who scored his 10th goal of the season.


Cagliari 1 - 0 Catania
Alessandro Matri furthered his excellent reputation after scoring the winner again after coming off the bench for this very good young Cagliari side who now find themselves on 45 points in seventh place.

Sampdoria 2 - 2 Napoli
Two of Serie A's heavyweights drew level in Genoa after 90 minutes of play. Angelo Palombo, after playing for Italy in the recent internationals, scored a brace either side of a Napoli goal from Zalayeta. However, deep into stoppages German Denis fired home from yet another assist from Marek Hamsik.