Footbal News (2)

Inter crush Roma

ROME: Inter Milan took over as Serie A leaders with a 4-1 win in the top-of-the-table clash at AS Roma on Saturday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the champions in front with a spot kick in the 29th minute after Ludovic Giuly handled a goalbound header to earn a red card.

It was the Sweden striker’s seventh goal of the campaign.

Roma hit back eight minutes after the break when Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta took advantage of careless defending by Maxwell.

Inter regained the lead almost immediately through substitute Hernan Crespo, who smashed home the rebound after a shot by Argentine compatriot Esteban Cambiasso.

Italian backing: Roma’s forward Francesco Totti (left) and Christian Panucci wear a red arm band in support of Myanmar’s monks and protests for democracy, before their Serie A match against Inter Milan on Saturday. – AFP

Julio Cruz added the third goal in the 60th minute with a low left-footed drive from outside the penalty area.

Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba sealed the win with a header in the 68th.

Inter have 14 points from six games, two points more than Fiorentina who won 3-0 at Tuscan rivals Livorno.

Roma’s first defeat of the season left them third with 11 points.

Coach Luciano Spalletti said he was confident Roma would bounce back at Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday.

“There is bitterness when you suffer a defeat like today’s,” Spalletti told Sky television. “But you have to swallow that bitterness and use it to react immediately.” – Reuters