Inter's 'fill-ins' floor Atalanta

MILAN, Italy -- Inter Milan went three points clear in Italy after beating Atalanta 2-1 at home on Saturday.

The Serie A champions rested star strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo, but their replacements Julio Cruz and David Suazo both scored in the opening half an hour before Sergio Floccari pulled one back for the visitors soon after.

Inter had been joined at the summit by Roma, who beat Genoa 1-0 earlier in the day.

And third-placed Fiorentina can cut the gap back to two points if they win at lowly Reggina on Sunday.

Atalanta's fans had been barred from the San Siro stadium due to the recent crowd violence in Italy, with 5,000 children invited to sit in the stand usually reserved for visiting fans.

Argentine Cruz played in his Honduran strike partner on 10 minutes to open the scoring with a fierce near-post strike.

And Cruz pounced from close range on 30 minutes after Suazo's looping shot beat Atalanta goalkeeper Ferdinando Coppola but came back off the post.

But Floccari gave the visitors hope with a superb goal in the 39th minute, volleying past keeper Julio Cesar from the edge of the penalty area after controlling the ball on his chest.

Atalanta finished the game with 10 men following Simone Inzaghi's late dismissal shortly after Inter -- unbeaten in 12 matches -- brought on the fit-again defender Marco Materazzi for the first time this season.

"We should have kept playing in the second half with the same intensity as we had in the first but it's still good to win after struggling," Suazo said..

Roma kept up their title push after defender Christian Panucci, Italy's match-winner against Scotland last weekend, headed a last-minute goal in Genoa.

Genoa almost took the lead in the second half when Matteo Paro hit the post with a curling effort from outside the box that had Roma goalkeeper Doni well beaten.

And 15 minutes from time, Genoa keeper Rubinho made a stunning double save to tip Mirko Vucinic's header onto the bar and then block Daniele De Rossi's follow-up with his outstretched leg.

Roma were missing four first-team regulars, including captain Francesco Totti, but coach Luciano Spalletti said: "We have a situation where we can bring in players in place of those who normally play without affecting the team too much. Those absences gave those present the chance to shine." E-mail to a friend

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