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| Saturday, November 9, 2002 19:29 EST |
Udinese ends Inter's eight-gam run
[ESPN.com news services]
MILAN, Italy -- Inter Milan lost for the first time this season, beaten 2-1 at home by Udinese on Saturday to end an eight-game unbeaten streak for the leader in the Italian league.
Roberto Muzzi caught Inter's defense wide open on a counter
attack for the winner in the 55th minute.
Inter has 22 points after nine games. It is three points ahead
of AC Milan, which plays defending champion Juventus on Sunday.
Udinese recorded its first road win this season and has 11 points.
The result adds extra spice to Sunday's clash in Turin between third-placed Juventus and second-place AC Milan which trails Inter by three points.
But sixth-place AS Roma missed out on a chance to close the gap on the leading trio as it was held to a 1-1 draw at Piacenza.
Inter's Christian Vieri headed in a cross from Domenico Morfeo after three minutes. Martin Jorgensen tied it for Udinese in the 25th minute with a long drive that sent the ball past goalkeeper Francesco Toldo and just under the crossbar.
Vieri, the striker of Italy's national team, missed two chances for putting Inter in front -- in the 27th minute and in second-half injury time.
Inter (7-1-1) plays an important Champions League game against
Ajax at Amsterdam on Tuesday.
Inter was more positive after the break and almost succeeded after four minutes when Turkish midfielder Emre struck the post with a low drive.
Hector Cuper's side camped in the Udinese half but was caught on the break in the 54th minute, Roberto Muzzi's low shot taking a slight deflection off Inter defender Francesco Coco and beating Francesco Toldo's desperate dive.
Udinese went close again when German striker Carsten Jancker fired the ball across the face of goal but Jorgensen was unable to get a touch.
Roma will be kicking itself after only managing a point at struggling Piacenza.
Fabio Capello's side took the lead in the 26th minute when Antonio Cassano stabbed the ball home at the back post after Christian Panucci had headed down a Cafu corner.
Piacenza striker Dario Hubner, whose scoring touch appears to have deserted him, then missed a penalty, firing wide after Gianni Guigou had barged down Piacenza midfielder Enzo Maresca.
Francesco Totti, who produced some delightful touches throughout, hit the post with a superb chip after a neat exchange with Cassano and then Cassano missed a clear
opportunity as Roma dominated.
But the Romans, who have a crucial Champions League match against AEK Athens on Tuesday, were made to pay for their lack of incisiveness in front of goal when Maresca equalized with a curling free kick in the 74th minute.
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