AC Milan surged into third place in Serie A with a 3-1 win at Chievo Verona on Sunday but their great city rivals Inter Milan were left in turmoil as their captain Mauro Icardi again came under fire from his own fans in the 2-1 defeat by Cagliari.
Milan moved level on 16 points alongside second-placed AS Roma as goals either side of the break from Juraj Kucka and M'baye Niang and an own goal from Dario Dainelli in the dying seconds ensured their victory.
Yet Inter suffered a wretched afternoon at the San Siro as Icardi, already embroiled in controversy over criticism he had made of the club's hardcore fans in an autobiography, missed a penalty during the defeat.
Some ultras, who have called for leading scorer Icardi to be stripped of the captaincy, even cheered and jeered after the miss and the Argentine's future at the club looks uncertain.
Despite his miss at 0-0, Inter looked poised to close in on the top spots with a win once Joao Mario scored after 56 minutes.
Yet Cagliari pulled level through forward Federico Melchiorri in the 71st minute before an own goal by keeper Samir Handanovic, who turned Melchiorri's low cross into his own net, consigned Inter to the loss that leaves them 11th on 11 points.
Lazio striker Ciro Immobile scored a penalty with the very last kick of the game to rescue a 1-1 draw against Bologna and make amends for a string of wasted chances throughout the game.
Immobile scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time after Bologna had taken the lead when Filip Helander, on loan from Verona, connected with a free kick to turn the ball in after 10 minutes.
Lazio reacted with Italy international Immobile hitting the post with a shot after half an hour and having another effort cleared off the line.
It was an even more one-sided affair after the break with the visitors' keeper -- Angelo Da Costa -- making a sensational reflex save to deny Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from close range.
A Milinkovic-Savic cut-back was then turned goalwards by a Bologna defender, but goalline technology showed it had not fully crossed the line when Da Costa once again came to the rescue to palm it away.
The Brazilian keeper was eventually beaten when Immobile converted from the penalty spot at the end of the game to rescue a point for the hosts.
The result leaves Lazio in fifth place on 14 points level with Napoli, who lost 3-1 to AS Roma on Saturday.
Juventus are top on 21 after their 2-1 win over Udinese on Saturday.
Inter's De Boer calls for end to Icardi-ultras row
Inter Milan must find an urgent solution to end a row between captain Mauro Icardi and the club's ultra fans who are angry at the striker over comments he made in his autobiography, coach Frank De Boer said on Sunday
Leading scorer Icardi, who earlier this month extended his Inter contract to 2021, was greeted by several insulting banners on Sunday with fans calling him a "clown" as he took to the pitch for their Serie A game at home to Cagliari.
He then missed a first-half penalty as Inter lost 2-1.
"On another day Icardi would have scored from the spot. I don't want to discuss the rest of it," Dutchman De Boer told reporters.
"We will assess things tomorrow out of respect for the fans and the player. We must find a solution, because the situation is far from ideal."
Local media said some 40 Inter fans had attacked his vehicle after the game and a banner had been hung outside his apartment.
The Argentine had painted the ultras in a bad light with comments in his recent autobiography. They in turn said he was lying regarding an incident in 2015 and demanded he hand back the captain's armband as he did not deserve to lead the team.
After a 3-1 away defeat by Sassuolo in February 2015, several Inter players tossed their shirts into the crowd, only to see them thrown back by fans unhappy at their performance.
Icardi did the same, saying he gave his shirt to a young child in the crowd who was immediately told by one of the ultra leaders to hand it back to the player.
The striker then verbally attacked the ultra, saying he was being arrogant in front of children and using them to show how tough he was. Icardi added that his team mates then hailed him "as a hero" for standing up to the hardcore fans.
Icardi had tried to defuse the situation before Sunday's game with a post on social media expressing his support for the club and fans but Inter vice president Javier Zanetti said the player's initial comments in his book had been unacceptable.
"We cannot accept this kind of behaviour from an employee. Will we be taking action? Unfortunately yes," Zanetti said.
"The fans are the most important element, they accompany us and we all should respect them."
The 23-year-old Icardi, who has scored six goals in eight league appearances this season, joined Inter in 2013 from rivals Sampdoria and became captain two years later at the age of 22.
Image (Bottom, left): Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi
Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters
