Win preserves Roma title bid

Roma registered a comfortable 4-0 win over Parma at the Stadio Olimpico to move to within six points of league leaders Internazionale and keep alive their title dream. Elsewhere, Milan passed up the chance to reclaim fourth place as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio at the San Siro.


Roma 4-0 Parma

In the capital, goals from Alberto Aquilani, Francesco Totti, Mirko Vucinic and a Giulio Falcone own-goal gave the Giallorossi a comprehensive victory - and kept up the pressure on Inter, who play at Napoli on Sunday.

Roma face Real Madrid in a crunch Champions League encounter next week, but coach Luciano Spalletti opted not to rest any key players ahead of the clash in Spain and named the strongest side available to him.

But his somewhat risky tactics paid off and Roma ultimately cruised to all three points after putting in a performance that served as good preparation for the Bernabeu test.

Aquilani - who later appeared to have a verbal spat with captain Totti - was the architect of the move which led to the opener, and it was the Italy international who also applied the finishing touch.

His neat turn in the centre circle took him away from two Parma players before the ball found its way out to Max Tonetto on the left wing. The full-back's cross was only partially beaten away by Luca Bucci and fell in the path of Aquilani who found the back of the net despite the keeper's best efforts to make amends for his error.

Roma continued to apply pressure to the visitors' goal, and they were rewarded soon after the restart when, under pressure from Christian Panucci, Falcone could only direct his attempted overhead clearance into his own net.

Totti then got in on the act, finding the top corner with a sumptuous drive with 10 minutes remaining before substitute Vucinic completed the scoring in injury time, following yet more calamitous Parma defending, this time from Damiano Zenoni.

The result leaves Parma anxiously looking over their shoulder with just two points separating them from the drop zone.

Milan 1-1 Lazio

Milan again failed to impress at the San Siro as the Rossoneri played out their tenth draw of the season so far.

A lacklustre first half in Milan exploded into life after the break as Lazio took the game to their hosts, creating an intense period of pressure that soon resulted in the opening goal.

Milan's veteran keeper Zeljko Kalac was by far the busiest player on the pitch after the restart and the Australian pulled off two good saves in as many minutes - first to deny Tomasso Rocchi and then Goran Pandev.

But he could do nothing about Rolando Bianchi's effort in the 54th minute as the man on loan from Manchester City slid in to poke Pandev's cross into the bottom corner and register his second in two games.

Milan's equaliser came in the 66th minute, but they had to rely on a refereeing decision to get it. The official spotted Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami tugging on Kakha Kaladze's shirt in the penalty area, and promptly awarded a spot kick which former Lazio player Massimo Oddo dispatched coolly.

The visitors ended the match with ten men after Lorenzo De Silvestri hacked down Alexandre Pato with six minutes remaining and received his marching orders.

The result left Milan in fourth place, a point behind Fiorentina, who will have a chance to put further daylight between themselves and the Rossoneri with victory at Juventus on Sunday.

More worrying for Milan though will be their continued inability to unlock defences in open play and win matches at home - especially with the visit of Arsenal in the Champions League next week.