Late Okan header gives Inter point at Roma

An 89th-minute header from Turkish midfielder Okan Buruk gave Serie A leaders Inter Milan a 2-2 draw at AS Roma in an enthralling match on Saturday.

The result means Inter could lose top spot on Sunday if Juventus win their Turin derby against Torino.

Inter went ahead in the 57th minute of a frantic and often bad-tempered game when a Domenico Morfeo shot looped over Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.

Roma protested that two Inter players were in offside positions early in the move but their appeals were waved away.

Two minutes later Roma struck back when Gianni Guigou headed a Christian Panucci cross into the path of Vincenzo Montella who made no mistake from close range.

Roma's Argentine substitute Gabriel Batistuta then put Fabio Capello's side ahead with a delightful goal in the 73rd minute.

Uruguayan midfielder Guigou floated a ball towards the Inter area and Batistuta's side-footed volley was placed perfectly wide of the sprawling Francesco Toldo.

It was a goal worthy of winning the game but Roma, who were without injured captain Francesco Totti, were left kicking themselves at the end as Okan was left unmarked to head in a corner.

Tempers boiled at the end of the match when a scuffle broke out between the players as they walked off the pitch.

Inter lead with 23 points with Juventus two points behind and third-placed AC Milan, who host Parma on Sunday, on 19.

BOLOGNA KEEP PACE

A fine individual goal from former Italy international Giuseppe Signori, his 100th for the club, helped Bologna keep pace with the frontrunners with a 2-1 win over Perugia on Saturday.

Bologna move above Roma into sixth place, level on 18 points with Chievo and Lazio.

Perugia, who drop to 12th, had Iranian defender Rahman Rezaei sent off in injury time for an elbow on Argentine striker Julio Ricardo Cruz.

Cruz put Bologna ahead in the 31st minute with a low shot which Perugia's Brazilian defender Ze Maria was unable to stop on the line.

Ex-Lazio striker Signori doubled the advantage seven minutes later with a trademark goal -- bursting down the left channel before unleashing a fierce and perfectly placed left-foot drive from more than 20 metres.

Perugia pulled a goal back just before the break when Andrea Caracciolo sprung Bologna's offside trap and beat the advancing Gianluca Pagliuca with a fine lofted shot.