Inter, Juve win to keep up pressure on Roma

Two goals from Alvaro Recoba gave Inter Milan a 2-1 victory over Lecce on Sunday to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders AS Roma, while Juventus stayed third after a 1-0 win over Verona.

Inter stayed level with Roma on 56 points, but the champions -- 3-1 winners over Atalanta on Saturday -- have a marginally better goal difference. Juventus are a point behind the top two.

Uruguayan Recoba scored Inter's first goal after a 50-metre run down the field in the 40th minute and his second came midway through the second half after Clarence Seedorf's shot had been parried.

Italy goalkeeper Francesco Toldo saved a Davor Vugrinec penalty but the Croatian scored a consolation in the last minute. Inter striker Christian Vieri limped off with 15 minutes remaining after a disappointing game.

Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved secured Juventus' ninth successive home win, scoring seven minutes before halftime with a volley that went in off the underside of the bar.

Juventus target Adrian Mutu missed Verona's best chance, firing wide in the last minute of the match.

Bologna, hopeful of a place in the Champions League, were held to a 1-1 draw in the Appenine derby against Fiorentina, but they remain fourth in the table.

Argentinian Ezequiel Gonzales scored his first goal for Fiorentina on the stroke of halftime only for Julio Cruz to level the score with his seventh goal of the season in the second half.

DESPERATE LAZIO

Lazio's miserable season continued despite Argentina's Hernan Crespo scoring his 100th Serie A goal against Brescia.

After being crushed 5-1 by Roma last week, departing for Brescia early after fans disrupted training and having two players attacked on Saturday night, Lazio desperately wanted a win.

Crespo's 56th-minute effort looked to be enough but a last-minute Roberto Yllana penalty gave the lowly home side a share of the points.

On a brighter note for Lazio, Dutch defender Jaap Stam made his comeback after four months out following a ban for nandrolone use and looked impressive.

In Sunday's evening game, Italy forward Filippo Inzaghi made his comeback after three months out injured to help AC Milan beat Torino 2-1.

Kakha Kaladze gave the home side the lead in the 51st minute with a fortuitous shot at the back post from Cosmin Contra's cross.

But Romania defender Contra fouled Marco Ferrante in the box just past the hour and the Torino forward stepped up to put away the subsequent penalty.

Massimo Ambrosini, who has himself been out injured for six months, earned AC Milan the points with a header from a corner 11 minutes from time.

Parma's recent slump continued when they lost 2-1 to Perugia to fall to 13th in the table.

Zisis Vryzas and Fabio Bazzani put Perugia two up at the half and Emiliano Bonazzoli got one back for Parma midway through the second half.

Udinese had Roberto Muzzi's spectacular overhead effort two minutes from time to thank for their home draw against Piacenza.

The visitors took the lead through Carmine Gautieri ten minutes before the interval, but they had Francesco Statuto sent off before Muzzi's strike.

Chievo Verona's 1-1 draw with bottom club Venezia means they have now won just once in 11 Serie A games.

Arturo Di Napoli gave Venezia a fifth minute lead before Eugenio Corini's penalty levelled matters for Chievo, who stay fifth in Serie A.