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May 18, 2008
ROME (TICKER) -- Inter Milan clinched its third consecutive Serie A title Sunday after defeating Parma, 2-0, in the season finale for both clubs.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice for Inter, which finished atop the league standings with 85 points - three ahead of AS Roma.
A 51st-minute substitute, Ibrahimovic gave Inter the lead in the 62nd minute with a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area. Ibrahimovic secured the victory in the 79th minute when he buried a cross from Maicon.
It was a sweet return to the lineup for Ibrahimovic, who had been sidelined six weeks with an injury. The Swede missed matches over the previous two weekends against AC Milan and Siena - a pair of games where Inter failed to wrap up the league title.
But Inter finally capitalized Sunday against Parma, which will be relegated.
AS Roma needed a victory Sunday over Catania and at least a draw in the Inter-Parma match. But Catania scored in the 85th minute to forge a 1-1 draw with the league runner-up.
Empoli followed Parma through the trapdoor despite a 2-1 win over already relegated Livorno.
Antonio Busce, after 10 minutes, and Luca Saudati, after 55, gave Empoli a two-goal lead before Alessandro Diamanti pulled a goal back seven minutes from time.
Fiorentina claimed the fourth Champions League spot with a 1-0 win at Torino, rendering the 4-1 defeat of Udinese by fifth-placed AC Milan irrelevant.
Two points clear of Milan before kickoff, Fiorentina got the goal it needed to guarantee entry to the Champions League in the 75th minute behind Pablo Osvaldo's bicycle kick.
At the San Siro, the home side had actually fallen behind when Giandomenico Mesto put Udinese ahead in the 32nd minute. Alexandre Pato equalized three minutes into the second half and Filippo Inzaghi put Milan ahead after 59 minutes.
Goals from Cafu (79) and Clarence Seedorf (88) made sure of what was a fruitless win.
Cagliari drew 2-2 at home to Reggina with the visitors twice fighting back from a goal down thanks to Nicola Amoruso. Joaquin Larrivey put Cagliari ahead in the 18th minute before Amoruso leveled for Reggina 10 minutes into the second half.
Paolo Bianco restored Cagliari's lead in the 81st minute but former Juventus striker Amoruso tied the score again - this time from a penalty - four minutes from time.
Massimo Maccarone scored twice as Siena drew with Palermo, 2-2. The former Italy Under-21 international opened the scoring after two minutes but Bosko Jankovic leveled in the 24th minute for Palermo, which took the lead six minutes later when Fabrizio Miccoli scored.
But Maccarone had the last word with his 58th minute effort.
Atalanta beat Genoa, 2-0, with goals from Sergio Floccari after 32 minutes and Michele Marconi in stoppage time.
Lazio won, 2-1, at home to Napoli with goals from Tommaso Rocchi (14) and Fabio Firmani (71) to secure victory before Maurizio Domizzi's 82nd-minute consolation for the visitors.
Updated on Sunday, May 18, 2008 15:58, EDT Email to a Friend | View Popular
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