Milan - Champions Inter Milan seized the lead in the Italian Serie A Sunday by beating Udinese 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal from substitute Julio Cruz. Napoli have 23 points, one less than Inter, after their 2-0 win over Sampdoria, but both sides could be leapfrogged later Sunday when AC Milan, on 22, were due to play at promoted Lecce.
Inter and the visitors from Udine played at a good pace in a tactics-loaded first half that saw Inter press more, but run major risks on the Udinese's counter attacks.
Right after the break, Udinese's Antonio Floro Flores stormed into the area but Julio Cesar was ready for a great save.
On the other side of the field Samir Handanovic blocked a smashing drive from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 58th as Inter held Udinese in their midfield.
Captain Xavier Zanetti was denied by the post in the 88th minute but Cruz finally found the net in injury time with a header for the winner.
"Udinese are a great team, but today, even it wasn't a special game, Inter played very well. Udinese are very dangerous, but I can recall (that they had) a single chance to score," said Inter coach Jose Mourinho.
"It was hard for us to score, and we did it after 92 minutes, but we showed a great will to win until the end of the game."
Napoli had an easier time against Sampdoria, winning their fifth home game through goals from Daniele Mannini off an Ezequiel Lavezzi assist and an easy tap-in from Marcelo Zalayeta.
Juventus beat Chievo 2-0 for a fifth straight win that pushed them level with Udinese on 21 points, one less than Milan and Lazio, who won 3-0 against Siena with the returning Tommaso Rocchi scoring a brace.
Juve captain Alessandro Del Piero celebrated his 34th birthday curling home one of his trademark free kicks, the 36th in his career, to put Juve 1-0 up on 40 minutes.
Del Piero drilled his swerving shot into the top left corner confirming an incredible form after a brace that sank Real Madrid in mid-week.
Fiorentina edged Atalanta 2-1, Genoa hammered 10-man Reggina 4-0 with Diego Milito scoring a hat-trick to become top scorer on nine goals, and Catania beat Cagliari 2-1.
On Saturday, struggling giants Roma drew 1-1 at lowly newcomers Bologna, while Torino steered clear of the danger zone beating Palermo 1-0.
