Soccer: Inter on tenterhooks as title goes to final round

MILAN - Inter Milan will have to wait until the final weekend of the Serie A season to wrap up their fifth consecutive title, despite beating Chievo Verona 4-3 yesterday.

Francesco Totti kept AS Roma's hopes alive of overtaking Inter by scoring twice to help his team rally for a 2-1 win over Cagliari. That leaves Roma still two points behind Inter ahead of the final round.

Inter travel to play Siena, while Roma are away to Chievo next weekend. If both teams finish level on points, Roma will take the title because of a better head-to-head record.

"It is fantastic that we are still in contention on the last weekend," Roma defender Nicolas Burdisso said. "To have a chance to win this championship is great because it has been such a hard season."

Inter seemed headed for a comfortable win when leading 4-1 but Pablo Granoche and Sergio Pellissier scored late for Chievo.

"The important thing is that the team held on till the end," Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso said. "We have to go to the last weekend and, while it isn't something we wanted, that's football and we just have to win our last game."

AC Milan remain in the third Champions League place despite a 1-0 loss to Genoa, while Sampdoria drew 1-1 away to Palermo to stay fourth.

At the foot of the table, Atalanta lost 2-0 to Napoli and are relegated with Siena and Livorno.

Inter started in determined fashion, and Maicon and Dejan Stankovic came close with early shots, but it was Chievo who took the lead when Thiago Motta deflected in Michele Marcolini's free kick.

Another own goal immediately brought Inter level. Samuel Eto'o crossed and Andrea Mantovani could do little to stop the ball deflecting off him and past Chievo keeper Stefano Sorrentino.

Cambiasso put Inter ahead in the 34th, volleying home a cross by Maicon at the far post. Diego Milito scored the third five minutes later, chipping Sorrentino from the edge of the area.

Mario Balotelli scored Inter's fourth and Jose Mourinho's team appeared well in control and on course for the title, as Roma were level at 0-0 at the time.

Chievo didn't give up, though, and goals from Granoche and Pellissier meant that Inter finished the match in a nervous, rather than jubilant, mood.

"Football is full of matches that change at the last minute," Cambiasso said. "We knew what was happening, as we heard our supporters explode when they heard that Cagliari had scored."

Meanwhile, Roma looked headed for a draw at most after wasting a number of chances, with Luca Toni, Marco Motta and John Arne Riise all hitting the frame of the goal.

Simone Perrotta had a header ruled out for offside, Totti missed an open goal and Cagliari goalkeeper Cristiano Lupatelli made desperate saves from Jeremy Menez and Rodrigo Taddei.

"We were playing a team that we knew would make life difficult for us," Roma coach Claudio Ranieri said. "We have had a near-perfect season but Inter has the advantage and all we can do is keep competing till the end."

Andrea Lazzari then appeared to have ended Roma's championship hopes when he fired in a low free kick in the 73rd, but Totti linked up with Daniele De Rossi to equalise in the 79th. He added his second from the penalty spot in the 83rd.

- AP