( dpa )- Fiorentina veteran striker Christian Vieri scored his 200th goal for Italian clubs Saturday helping the Florence club edge Torino 2-1.
Fiorentina moved on to 34 points from 19 games as the Serie A reached its half-way mark. The purple-jersey club leapfrogged Udinese and are now on pace to securing the last of four available Champions League berths two points adrift from third-placed Juventus , who will welcome Sampdoria on Sunday when Udinese host AC Milan.
Second-place Roma have 39 points before hosting Catania , while the unbeaten title holders Inter Milan lead on 46 when they close the weekend at home late Sunday against lowly Parma.
At Florence Artemio Franchi , Argentina's Alberto Santana was free in the area on 18 minutes, but had his shot saved by Matteo Sereni , who then deflected a long-range drive from Vieri .
Adrian Mutu aimed a central header off a corner kick on 42 minutes and on 45 fell down in the area on a foul from Marco Di Loreto.
Vieri converted the penalty for a hefty goal tally to which he can add the 24 goals scored in Spain with Atletico Madrid plus three netted at French side Monaco.
The Turin visitors had no telling chances in the first half, but were ruthless on 57 minutes when Australian midfielder Vincenzo Grella finished off a free-kick scheme volleying home by the far post from outside the area.
Play maker Fabio Liverani fired wide for Fiorentina on the hour, and Torino Croat Sasa Bjelanovic fumbled an inviting cross before Sereni managed a great save on a Mutu header.
The in-form Romanian forward scored the winner on 75 minutes converting a spot kick after Salvatore Lanna fouled him from behind.
Mutu's 12th goal this season pushed him just one notch behind the league's best scorer David Trezeguet of Juventus .
In earlier action, Genoa came from behind to beat Atalanta 2-1 tying 25-point Palermo in sixth position.