Roma thrash Torino to keep hopes alive

ROME, Italy -- Roma kept the Serie A title race alive for another week at least with a 4-1 thrashing of Torino.

With leaders Inter Milan winning 2-1 at home to Cagliari, defeat for Roma would have seen the Nerazzurri claim their third successive Scudetto.

But the result was rarely in doubt after David Pizarro opened the scoring in the 18th minute from the penalty spot.

Mirko Vucinic doubled his team's lead two minutes later and Mancini made it 3-0 in the 25th minute, before netting his second shortly after the half-hour mark.

Substitute Nicola Ventola reduced the deficit five minutes after the interval but the visitors could not make further inroads, even after Roma defender Juan was sent off with 15 minutes left to play.

Inter's victory was less dramatic but was still comfortable as they led through Julio Cruz's 21st-minute header and doubled their lead through second-half substitute Marco Materazzi in the 83rd minute.

Davide Biondini's stoppage-time effort for the visitors was just a consolation.

The results mean Inter are six points ahead of their rivals with three matches left to play. Meanwhile, Cagliari and Torino remain in relegation trouble, one and two points from safety respectively.

However, Livorno look almost certain to go down after a 4-1 defeat at home to AC Milan left them at the foot of the table and boosted the Rossoneri's Champions League hopes.

Milan move two points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina -- held 2-2 by Sampdoria -- thanks to a Filippo Inzaghi hat-trick. Clarence Seedorf added a fourth in the 70th minute before Dario Knezevic pulled a goal back for the home side two minutes later.

Fiorentina trailed to Christian Maggio's 63rd-minute goal but must have thought they had beaten Sampdoria when Christian Vieri levelled in the 77th minute and Adrian Mutu converted an 84th-minute penalty.

But Daniele Gastaldello's stoppage-time equaliser earned a point for the visitors.

Juventus strengthened their hold on third place with a 5-2 win over Lazio, who were reduced to 10 men for the last 15 minutes when defender Sebastiano Siviglia was red carded.

Juve were 4-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Giorgio Chiellini (15), Mauro Camoranesi (21), Alessandro Del Piero (32) and David Trezeguet (33).

Lazio did halve Juve's lead with Rolando Bianchi (55) and Siviglia scoring but Giorgio Chiellini had the last word with the home side's fifth two minutes from the end.

The relegation clash between Reggina and Parma concluded with a 2-1 win for the home side who are now in the drop zone by just one goal difference behind Empoli.

Empoli climbed out of the relegation places with a 1-0 win at Genoa - -who had Marco di Vaio sent off two minutes from the end -- secured by Ignazio Abate's 15th-minute goal.

Udinese beat Catania 2-1 thanks to goals from Antonio Di Natale (six) and Fabio Quagliarella (38). Juan Vargas replied for Catania.

Napoli drew 0-0 with Siena while Palermo's meeting with Atalanta was also scoreless. E-mail to a friend