MILAN, 8 November 2004 — Inter Milan drew their eighth game in 10 matches yesterday, as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at much-improved Fiorentina. Inter’s Brazilian striker Adriano equalized in the 80th minute after Dario Dainelli had given Fiorentina a first-half lead.
Leaders Juventus, who on Saturday fell to their first defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss at Reggina, have a five-point advantage over rivals AC Milan who play Roma at the San Siro later.
Third-placed Lecce are now 10 points behind the leaders after suffering their first home defeat of the season, an injury-time penalty from Czech midfielder Marek Jankulovski earning Udinese a thrilling 4-3 win.
The win allowed Udinese to climb to fourth place joining Lecce on 15 points. Messina, who drew 2-2 at Bologna, are fifth with the same number of points.
After Juve’s defeat, Inter are the only unbeaten side in Serie A but they will be frustrated not to have closed the gap on the leaders.
Francesco Toldo was recalled to the Inter goal, to face his former club, after a month on the bench but had no chance of stopping Dainelli’s superb header from a Fabrizio Miccoli corner in the 26th minute.
Fiorentina were on top for most of the first half but Inter fought back after the break with Dejan Stankovic forcing a fine save from Cristian Lupatelli while Toldo, at the other end, produced a brilliant save to keep out the impressive Miccoli. Ten minutes from the end, Inter drew level when Cristiano Zanetti flicked on a corner which Adriano headed home from close range. But goals on the break from Antonio Di Natale and Vincenzo Iaquinta put the visitor’s 3-2 up, only for Serbian sub Mirko Vucinic to bring Lecce back on level terms in the 89th minute.
However, in the second minute of time added on, Jankulovski was upended in the area and rose to drive home the spot-kick.
Lazio’s disappointing season continued when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Siena — Daniele Portanova’s 67th-minute goal cancelling out Fernando Couto’s opener for Lazio.
Fulham Hand Newcastle’s Souness First Home Loss
Midfielder Steed Malbranque scored twice as lowly Fulham shocked Newcastle United 4-1 in the Premier League yesterday to hand manager Graeme Souness his first home defeat since taking charge two months ago.
Middlesbrough’s Dutchman George Boateng volleyed an equalizer two minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside.
The Manchester derby at Old Trafford finished 0-0 as City frustrated United with dogged defending, surviving at least three goalline clearances and three penalty appeals.
United, who have gone two league games without scoring after a 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth last weekend, had striker Alan Smith sent off one minute from time for a second bookable offense.
Rangers Win 4-1 to Stay in Touch With Celtic
In Glasgow, Rangers kept up the pressure on Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic with a 4-1 demolition of Livingston yesterday.
The Glasgow side exposed some poor defending by the hosts with three goals from corner kicks to stay four points behind the champions in the standings.
Celtic lead the table with 34 points from 13 games, after beating Kilmarnock 2-1 on Saturday, while Rangers are on 30 after nine wins. Peter Lovenkrands put Rangers ahead after 37 minutes before an unmarked Nacho Novo doubled their lead with his 10th goal of the season 10 minutes after halftime.
Craig Easton gave Livingston hope when he hooked the ball over goalkeeper Stefan Klos in the 61st minute to make it 2-1.
Schalke Close In On Wolfsburg After Win Over Hamburg
In Berlin Schalke 04 recovered from a goal down to beat Hamburg SV 2-1 in a thrilling match yesterday as they closed in on VfL Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga.
A sixth straight win since coach Ralf Rangnick took over left Schalke on 24 points but second on goal difference despite Wolfsburg’s 4-0 mauling by lowly Nuremberg on Saturday.
Brazilian Lincoln got the winner for Schalke two minutes after Mike Hanke equalized in the 79th minute to cancel out Stefan Beinlich’s opener for Hamburg just after the break.
In yesterday’s other game VfB Stuttgart ended a three-match losing streak in the league with a 4-0 win over Hansa Rostock that lifted coach Matthias Sammer’s side to third place on 23 points, above Bayern Munich on goal difference.
