Rome - Serie A champions Inter Milan extended their lead over Juventus and Sampdoria to seven points Sunday as Diego Milito and Douglas Maicon were on target in a 2-0 defeat of Livorno. Inter have 28 points from 11 games, while Juve sit on 21 as they lost 3-2 Saturday at home to Napoli, who rallied from two down.
Livorno played a good first half before their home crowd as they sought a third straight win despite the absence of striker Cristiano Lucarelli.
Inter struggled at times in an evenly balanced first half and Livorno had a good chance on 38 minutes with a quick free-kick from Antonio Candreva that Julio Cesar had trouble deflecting.
Four minutes after the break Argentina's Milito scored his seventh goal with a low drive from edge of the area to extract the maximum from Inter's first decent chance.
Milito is now level with Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini and Slovak Marek Hamsik, who scored a brace against Juventus.
Livorno pressed in search of an equalizer but failed to truly worry the champions, who secured the win through a strike from Brazil defender Douglas Maicon with 10 minutes left.
AC Milan are fourth on 19 points after beating Parma 2-0 late Saturday, while Sampdoria Sunday drew 0-0 at home with promoted Bari, whose Brazilian forward Paulo Barreto failed with a free-kick in the dying seconds.
Fiorentina beat guests Catania 3-1 through a brace from Marco Marchionni and a late goal from international Alberto Gilardino in a game that both sides closed with 10 men.
The Florence side captain Dario Dainelli was sent off with his side leading 1-0, while Ciro Capuano was dismissed in the second half shortly after his side drew level.
Visiting Udinese and Chievo drew 1-1 in Verona, while troubled Roma closed a three-loss run after coming from behind to clinch a 2-1 win against visiting Bologna.
Lazio, the other side from the capital, drew 1-1 at bottom-side Siena and Sardinia side Cagliari crushed Atalanta 3-0 to celebrate their 1,000th game and the 300th win in the top flight.
Cagliari, who won a single scudetto in 1970, lie level on 16 points with Genoa, who play a late game at Palermo.
