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Scorer: Mihajlovic 23, 92 (I)

Two Sinisa Mihajlovic free kicks proved enough as Inter beat Roma and stake their claim on the fourth Champions' League spot.

These are the two most prolific teams in Serie A - bagging 86 goals between them going into this tie - and it was a head to head battle for Champions' League places.

Adriano had his first start since suffering a calf injury a month ago and partnered Obafemi Martins, leaving Christian Vieri on the bench. Alvaro Recoba was injured and Sinisa Mihajlovic stepped in for the suspended Marco Materazzi, but surprisingly Kily Gonzalez replaced Dejan Stankovic on the right. Antonio Cassano recovered from a minor knee injury that kept him out of international duty to form Roma's trident attack, though Olivier Dacourt was on a one-match ban.

The Giallorossi had a strong start and tested Francesco Toldo after just 90 seconds of play. Vincenzo Montella got behind Giuseppe Favalli on Antonio Cassano's pass and Toldo got down well to block his precise finish.

Leandro Cufre' then drilled just wide of the top corner from a good 30 metres away as Roma looked confident. Juan Sebastian Veron's long-range effort was held by Ivan Pelizzoli, then soon after Adriano nodded a Kily Gonzalez cross just past the near post.

The deadlock was eventually broken after 22 minutes. Sinisa Mihajlovic was a risk for this match due to a bout of flu, but he curled in one of his trademark free kicks at the near post, lifting it over the defensive wall and into the bottom corner of the net. The Serb defender - a former Roma player - has now scored 27 Serie A goals from set-pieces.

Ivan Cordoba's crucia intervention prevented Cassano's splendid solo run threading through to Montella moments later as Roma fought back.

Totti's free kick was charged down by the defensive wall, but he slammed the rebound with his left foot and Toldo flew to make a fantastic save. The Roma captain fired another free kick over the bar.

There was panic in the Inter area on the stroke of half-time. Totti sprung the offside trap on Christian Panucci's cross and intelligently cut across for Montella, who had taken the ball past Toldo, but Ivan Cordoba came sliding in for a decisive challenge that prevented the Capocannoniere tapping into an empty net from a couple of yards.

At the other end, a Kily Gonzalez cross found Martins in the centre, but the Nigerian seemed surprise and couldn't react in time for the finish, while Roma were really pushing with a Panucci free header over the bar.

At the start of the second half, Pelizzoli was uncertain on a Mihajlovic corner kick and Esteban Cambiasso's header at the back post was deflected on to the side-netting by Daniele De Rossi.

Montella was again dangerous at the other end, reaching Panucci's cross and only just failing to angle his header past Toldo. Moments later he single-handedly dribbled past both Mihajlovic and Favalli, but the omnipresent Cordoba was there to clean up.

On the hour mark, Gigi Del Neri pushed Panucci back into defence as Amantino Mancini took over midfield duties in a 4-3-3 system. Inter also made a change as former Lazio star Dejan Stankovic replaced Kily Gonzalez.

Leandro Cufre' needed a well-timed challenge to stop Martins making the most of a classic counter-attack, while Pelizzoli needed two touches to smother another powerful long-range Mihajlovic free kick.

Martins disposessed defenders in midfield and sprinted towards goal, driving his effort just past the post.

Stankovic thought he had sealed the points when he ran on to a splendid Adriano pass, but Pelizzoli got down quickly to parry at the near post.

Cassano pulled up with a muscular problem and was replaced by 17-year-old striker Cerci for the final five minutes.

The Giallorossi's hopes of getting back into the game were wrecked in stoppages when Philippe Mexes brought down Martins for his second bookable offence.

Mihajlovic got the last laugh, as from that free kick he curled in another fantastic free kick at the near post that left Pelizzoli rooted to the spot.

Inter: Toldo; J Zanetti, Cordoba, Mihajlovic, Favalli (Burdisso 83); Veron (Ze Maria 70), C Zanetti, Cambiasso, Kily Gonzalez (Stankovic 62); Martins, Adriano

Roma: Pelizzoli; Mexes, Dellas (Mancini 59), Ferrari; Panucci, De Rossi (Aquilani 71), Perrotta, Cufre; Totti, Cassano (Cerci 85), Montella

Ref: Trefoloni

Sent off: Mexes 91 (R)
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