Inter move into Champions League spot

Inter Milan clinched a 1-0 win over Parma to move into fourth spot in Serie A - a position which will see them qualify for next season’s Champions League preliminary round if they hold it for one more week.

Their Brazilian striker Adriano, playing against the club he left amid a cash crisis in January, scored the decider after 62 minutes.

Parma were then reduced to 10 men by the sending off of Manuel Blasi and lost the fourth place which they had held at the start of play.

An almost perfect day for Inter was completed when Lazio, also in the hunt for fourth place, were beaten 2-1 at Brescia.

Goals from Stefano Mauri and Roberto Baggio, on his last home appearance before retiring, gave Brescia a 2-0 lead before Cesar’s injury-time consolation.

Serie A champions AC Milan were beaten 2-1 at Reggio Calabria by Reggina – not an entire surprise since the Rossoneri clinched the title last week.

The result was enough to guarantee survival for Reggina who raced to a 2-0 lead with a David Di Michele opener and a penalty from Francesco Cozza.

Andriy Shevchenko increased his hold on the title of ‘capocannoniere’ – Serie A top scorer – with Milan’s goal.

In a match played in Palermo as a punishment for poor behaviour by Roma fans in their recent match at Milan, the Serie A runners-up were humbled 3-1 by Perugia who keep alive their hopes of staying in the division.

Antonio Cassano gave Roma a 12th-minute lead before Perugia went ahead with two goals from their Brazilian Ze Maria, the second coming from the penalty spot.

Fabrizio Ravanelli scored the third six minutes from time.

Deposed champions Juventus won 2-0 at home to Sampdoria in Marcello Lippi’s last home Serie A match in charge, before his summer departure. Nicola Legrottaglie and Stephen Appiah scored the goals.

Samp’s slip-up allowed Udinese to claim a UEFA Cup spot with their 1-1 draw with Chievo.

Federico Cossato gave the visitors from Verona the lead before Vincenzo Iaquinta equalised.

There were mixed fortunes for Tuscany’s two Serie A clubs as Siena ensured another season in the top-flight and Empoli suffered a defeat which further jeopardises their place.

At Modena, in a relegation six-pointer, two Rodrigo Taddei goals put Siena in charge before Massimo Marazzina reduced arrears.

Enrico Chiesa’s injury-time strike secured Siena’s top-flight place and a 3-1 win.

But Empoli crashed 2-1 at bottom club Ancona who registered only their second win of the season – both of which have come since the confirmation of their relegation.

Vincenzo Sommese’s penalty settled the match after Empoli’s Igli Vanucchi had equalised Mauro Milanese’s opener.

Lecce snatched a point with Ernesto Chevanton’s last-gasp leveller at Bologna - the Uruguayan is tipped to join a big Serie A club this summer.

Igli Tare had given Bologna a 33rd-minute lead.