Corradi goals move Lazio up to third
Simon Evans
Lazio put aside their financial difficulties and moved up to third in Serie A with a convincing 4-0 win over Modena on Sunday as former Chievo striker Bernardo Corradi scored twice for Roberto Mancini's side.
But Roma's fading title ambitions suffered a serious blow after a 3-0 defeat at Parma on Sunday left them nine points adrift of leaders AC Milan.
Two goals from Parma striker Emiliano Bonazzoli and an Adrian Mutu penalty condemned injury-hit Roma, who face Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, to their third defeat of the season.
AC Milan, who beat third-placed Inter 1-0 in Saturday's Milan derby, lead with 25 points and are ahead of Juventus on goal difference after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Bologna in Saturday's other game.
Fourth-placed Chievo kept in touch with the leading pack as a Massimo Marazzina goal gave them a 1-0 win at home to Empoli despite having Swedish midfielder Daniel Andersson sent off in the 58th minute.
Lazio have been put up for sale by their president Sergio Cragnotti but the team showed no signs of suffering from the uncertainty as they extended their unbeaten run to 10 games.
The Roman side found it hard going until Corradi opened the scoring in the 25th minute with an overhead kick to hook home a Cesar header from a Stefano Fiore cross.
Six minutes later Argentine Claudio Lopez added the second with a back-post header from a Sinisa Mihajlovic corner.
GREAT COMPOSURE
The in-form Lopez turned provider after the break with his crossfield pass finding Brazilian Cesar, who in turn showed great composure as he fired past Modena's former Lazio goalkeeper Marco Ballotta on 71 minutes.
In the final minute Corradi grabbed his second and Lazio's fourth with a header from a nicely floated ball into the area from substitute Enrico Chiesa.
Lazio now have 24 points, one more than Inter who drop down to fourth place.
Roma went into Sunday's match without influential captain Francesco Totti, Brazilian wing-back Cufu, Italy midfielder Damiano Tommasi and striker Marco Delvecchio.
Yet with the large squad at his disposal Roma coach Fabio Capello would surely have expected more than he saw at Parma's Tardini stadium.
Bonazzoli put Parma ahead in the 11th minute after a good run from Brazilian Junior and a neat set-up from Romanian Mutu.
Twelve minutes later Parma had doubled their advantage after Roma's Brazilian defender Aldair was ruled to have fouled Bonazzoli and Mutu converted the spot-kick.
Mutu forced a brilliant save from Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli in the 71st minute with a curling free-kick, but from the resulting corner Bonazzoli was left unmarked to complete a miserable day for the visitors with a firm header into the net.
Bottom club Como remain without a win after they lost 3-0 at Perugia -- Massimiliano Fusani, Fabrizio Miccoli and Mauro Milanese were on target for Serse Cosmi's side.
Udinese were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Brescia after an own goal from Nestor Sensini on 68 minutes cancelled Martin Jorgensen's eighth minute opener from a delightful chip.
Relegation-threatened Reggina and Atalanta fought out a 1-1 draw, while Torino's miserable form continued with their ninth defeat in 11 games after Eusebio Di Francesco's 23rd minute goal gave Piacenza a 1-0 home victory.
