Ibra returns to win title for Inter

Eurosport - Mon, 19 May 09:05:00 2008
Zlatan Ibrahimovic made a brilliant, decisive return from injury to fire Internazionale to their third straight Scudetto triumph after a 2-0 win over Parma on a thrilling last day of the Serie A season.

The Swede, who had not played for a month-and-a-half with a knee problem, scored both goals from the bench at a saturated Stadio Ennio Tardini to settle a nerve-jangling season finale.

Roma, who until Ibrahimovic's first strike on 62 minutes appeared to have one hand on the trophy, could ultimately only manage a 1-1 draw against Catania, meaning the Giallorossi ended their campaign three points behind the champions.

Jorge Martinez netted the equaliser for the Sicilians with just five minutes remaining to preserve their Serie A status next season, while Parma's defeat saw them relegated.

Catania's win meant that Empoli, despite a 2-1 win over Livorno, were also relegated to Serie B, while Fiorentina held on to the final Champions League spot thanks to Pablo Osvaldo's overhead kick in a 1-0 win over Torino.

Milan beat Udinese 4-1 at the San Siro, but the Rossoneri will have to be content with a place in the UEFA Cup next season.

Parma 0-2 Inter

Knowing nothing less than a win would be enough to preserve their Serie A status, Parma started the better of the two sides and were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead after just 13 minutes. But Stefano Morrone's close range effort was well blocked by Julio Cesar in the Inter goal.

It proved to be the hosts' best chance of the game as Inter found their feet and began to enjoy far more possession as the game wore on. Cesar, then Maicon, both landed efforts over the Parma cross bar before Julio Cruz headed wide from a 39th minute Mario Balotelli cross.

But while Inter were enjoying the better of the game, they lacked a finishing touch. Ibrahimovic soon changed that when he entered the fray on 51 minutes as a replacement for Cesar. His first came on 62 minutes, a low hard shot into the bottom corner after an exquisite touch had set him on his way towards goal.

The Swede's introduction proved inspired as he went on to feature in most of Inter's best attacking moments from then on. Balotelli was unlucky not to find the back of the net three minutes after the opener, having been found by Ibrahimovic, and the maestro himself should have done better on 78 minutes when clear through on goal.

Moments later he atoned for his miss, volleying home Maicon's cross at the far post to seal the win on the day, and Inter's third consecutive title.

Catania 1-1 Roma

Mirko Vucinic took just eight minutes to calm any nerves that may have existed in the Roma camp on Sicily, the Montenegrin finishing well into the far corner after having broken free of the Catania back line.

Mancini should have doubled Roma's lead just after the half hour mark, but the Brazilian dragged his shot wide of the mark and he was nearly made to regret his miss just minutes later when Giacomo Tedesco was denied by a superb point-blank save from Doni.

After the break, news of events in Parma filtered through and gave the hosts added impetus as Roma struggled to keep their concentration. Substitute Takayuki Morimoto wasted a hat-trick of chances, hitting the crossbar once, while Marco Biagianti also struck the woodwork with a powerful drive from outside the box.

Catania's pressure appeared to have eventually paid off when the ball hit the back of the net on 82 minutes, only for the linesman's flag to indicate Giuseppe Mascara's offside position.

But the premature pitch invaders' blushes were spared three minutes later when Martinez latched on to a goalmouth scramble to slot home and secure the Sicilians' top flight status for at least another year.

Torino 0-1 Fiorentina

Pablo Osvaldo's spectacular second-half volley gave Fiorentina a 1-0 win in Turin that secured fourth place and Champions League qualification for next season.

Both sides exchanged chances in an open first half, with Alessandro Rosina and Roberto Stellone testing Viola goalkeeper Sebastien Frey while Fabio Liverani and Alessandro Gamberini drew excellent saves from his opposite number Matteo Sereni.

Torino had the best of the second period, with Aimo Diana having a volley harshly ruled out for offside before Osvaldo headed Martin Jorgensen's right-wing cross into the air before sending an overhead bicycle kick flying past Sereni.

Milan 4-1 Udinese

Milan will compete in the UEFA Cup next season after coming from a goal down at the San Siro to earn a win that was not enough to snatch Champions League qualification from Fiorentina.

Giandomenico Mesto gave the visitors the lead on 32 minutes when he cut infield from the right and drove a left-footer inside the far post from a difficult angle, only for Milan substitute Alexandre Pato to equalise from close range five minutes into the second half.

Pato turned provider shortly afterwards, chesting Massimo Ambrosini's pass down for Filippo Inzaghi to turn the ball home, and after Kaka had seen a penalty saved, late goals from Cafu - on his last appearance for the club - and Clarence Seedorf made the game safe.

Atalanta 2-0 Genoa

Atalanta's Sergio Floccari netted with a chip after beating the offside trap and Michele Marconi extended the lead late on.

Genoa had two sent off in the mid-table battle with Danilo Sacramento and Omar Milanetto both picking up two bookings.

Cagliari 2-2 Reggina

Nicola Amoruso bagged a brace for Reggina as both sides enjoyed the final game of the season having recently secured their Serie A place.

Joaquin Larrivey rifled in from inside the box to put the Sardinians ahead before Nicola Amoruso equalised in the second period. Paolo Bianco grabbed Cagliari's second only for Amoruso to net a penalty four minutes from time.

Empoli 2-1 Livorno

The home side did their job but were relegated because of Catania's draw. A defeat for Catania would have meant Empoli stayed up given their better-head-to-head record.

Antonio Busce scored early when he slid into an empty net against already-relegated Livorno. Luca Saudati hit the post with a penalty early in the second half but netted a few minutes later with the outside of his boot.

Alessandro Diamanti bagged Livorno's last top flight goal for at least a season seven minutes from the end.

Lazio 2-1 Napoli

Home striker Tommaso Rocchi rounded off the season with a stylish shot into the corner and Fabio Firmani doubled their advantage from close range but doubts remain over coach Delio Rossi's position after Lazio's disappointing mid-table finish.

Maurizio Domizzi grabbed a consolation for Napoli, who will be happy with their eighth place finish in their first season back in Serie A.

Siena 2-2 Palermo

Home striker Massimo Maccarone bagged a brace in the mid-table clash, with Palermo's Amauri not playing ahead of an expected move to Juventus or Milan.

Maccarone raced on to a through ball and finished with aplomb early on before skipping a challenge and slotting home in the second half.

Bosko Jankovic and striker Fabrizio Miccoli with a clever header scored for Palermo in between Maccarone's strikes.