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Inter Milan regain top spot |
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Inter Milan scored either side of half-time to claim a deserved victory over Lazio and climb back into first place in Serie A.
Walter Samuel put Inter ahead on the stroke of half-time after the Nerazzurri had wasted a hatful of chances to take an earlier lead.
Thiago Motta doubled Inter's lead with 20 minutes remaining as Jose Mourinho's side held on to move one step closer to their fifth straight Scudetto.
Victory allowed Inter to go two points clear of Lazio's city rivals Roma, who won on Saturday at Parma, with two games remaining.
A section of Lazio fans cheered both of Inter's goals as they damaged Roma's title chances.
The defeat, however, has left Lazio in 16th place and just five points clear of the drop zone.
Inter went into the game at the Stadio Olimpico in celebratory mood after they beat Barcelona over two legs in the Champions League semi-finals.
They will play in the final of Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 1972 later this month.
Mourinho played with Dejan Stankovic and Wesley Sneijder in support of lone striker Samuel Eto'o.
The visitors had the first chance early on with Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera making a great save from Maicon's powerful header following a corner.
At the other end, a fast counter-attack saw Mauro Zarate surge inside Inter's area before firing a right-footed strike that went wide.
In the 10th minute, Muslera was forced to fully stretch to get a touch on Sneijder's 30-yard free-kick.
Shortly after, Aleksandar Kolarov served Sergio Floccari on the left but he fired wide.
On the half-hour mark, Stankovic should have done better but having controlled Eto'o's pass inside the area, his effort went over the bar.
Inter missed a great chance to break the deadlock in the 37th minute.
Sneijder fed an unmarked Eto'o in the heart of the area and the Cameroon forward failed to beat Muslera in a one-on-one.
Lazio almost made Inter pay for their missed chances five minutes later.
Zarate got past four Inter defenders inside the area only to fire off target.
Inter scored soon after. Samuel latched onto Sneijder's cross and his clean header towards the bottom-left corner beat Muslera.
Inter should have doubled their lead in the 53rd minute after Samuel got his head to Sneijder's corner, only it to be deflected by a Lazio defender.
Shortly before the hour mark, Marco Motta tried his luck from distance but his effort was way off target.
Lazio struggled to put a good move together and looked devoid of ideas going forward.
Mourinho made his first substitution in the 68th minute with Diego Milito replacing Sneijder and Inter extended the lead soon after.
Motta latched onto Maicon's cross and his header beat Muslera.
Lazio's first chance of the second half came with eight minutes remaining.
Substitute Thomas Hitzlsperger's 35-yard free-kick towards goal was blocked by a team-mate as Inter held on without major scares.
Inter host Chievo next before ending the season at already-relegated Siena on May 16.
If Inter win next week and Roma lose against Cagliari, Mourinho's team will capture the title.
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