Totti returns to revive Roma hopes

ROME, Italy -- Francesco Totti returned from injury to score twice as Roma closed the gap on Italian leaders Inter Milan with a 2-0 win against 10-man Sampdoria on Saturday.

The former Italy striker, playing his first Serie A match in more than a month after breaking down following his comeback in the Champions League, inspired the second-placed home side to a first win in the last three outings.

Roma are now four points behind Inter, who face city rivals AC Milan in Sunday's main match.

Totti took advantage as Roma were awarded a lucky penalty when recalled center-back Matteo Ferrari went down under a slight challenge by Stefano Lucchini in the 18th minute, with the skipper coolly chipping the ball high into the net.

Lucchini, who was booked, wasted a golden opportunity to equalize when he blazed a close-range effort over the bar from Sergio Volpi's free-kick.

David Pizarro hit Sampdoria's bar with a long-range shot before the visitors had Volpi sent off for a trip on Simone Perrotta in the 57th minute.

But Sampdoria fought admirably to snatch a point, with Roma keeper Doni saving brilliantly from substitute Andrea Caracciolo and then Hugo Campagnaro blasting over the bar from the subsequent corner when he should have scored.

And Totti made them pay for such profligacy when he netted his ninth goal this season in the 90th minute after Marco Cassetti broke down the right and set him up.

"I wanted to finish 2007 in a big way. I'm happy and I want to thank my team-mates who let me take the penalty and set me up at the end," Totti said.

"It was difficult spending two months on the sidelines because I was playing really well before that.

"The championship? It's a marathon, we won't make the same mistakes as last year when we finished 20 points back (from Inter). It will go to the wire."

Earlier on Saturday, Marco Borriello's first-half penalty eased Genoa's relegation fears, earning the home side a 1-0 victory against Parma.

Borriello netted two minutes before half-time after being fouled in the box, to put his side into 10th place with just a fourth victory in 17 matches.

The result left Parma in 12th on 18 points, but behind AC Milan on goal difference. E-mail to a friend

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