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Milito shoots Inter Milan to fifth consecutive title

Other News Materials 16 May 2010 23:35 (UTC +04:00)
Inter Milan clinched a fifth consecutive Italian Serie A title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory away to relegated Siena in the final round, DPA reported.
Milito shoots Inter Milan to fifth consecutive title

Inter Milan clinched a fifth consecutive Italian Serie A title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory away to relegated Siena in the final round, DPA reported.

Diego Milito was the hero for the Nerazzurri as the Argentine striker scored his 22nd league goal of the season in the second half to move Jose Mourinho's side on to 82 points, two clear of nearest chasers AS Roma, who beat Chievo 2-0.

Roma's only hope of overhauling Inter was if the defending champions had drawn at Siena as Roma boast a draw and a win in direct clashes.

Inter president Massimo Moratti celebrated his 65th birthday lifting the club's 18th title after winning the Italian Cup and remaining on course for a memorable treble when they tackle Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on Saturday in Madrid.

Siena were far from mere sparring partners and threatened on six minutes with a wide drive from Swede Albin Ekdal after having the better of Douglas Maicon.

The Inter fans filling the Artemio Franchi warmed up to the growing pressure from the champions, who nearly went ahead on 13 minutes when Mario Balotelli volleyed narrowly wide before Milito also missed a shot and nodded from close range into the hands of Gianluca Curci.

The former Roma goalkeeper punched away a Marco Materazzi header, saw a great volley from Balotelli come off the bar and after the break parried a drive from Milito over the bar before finally being beaten by the Argentine on 57 minutes.

Compatriot captain Javier Zanetti set Milito up for one of his devastating breaks into the area that this time left Curci no chance.

Inter's Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar had to deflect a nasty drive from Massimo Maccarone and caused a last thrill with two minutes left when he fumbled a cross that no Siena player was close enough to pounce on.

Although they missed out on the title, Roma had little problems against Chievo in Verona, where captain Francesco Totti came close on a couple of occasions and hit the post before drives from his Montenegro striking partner Mirko Vucinic and Daniele De Rossi sealed the win in the first half.

Sampdoria beat Napoli 1-0 to retain the fourth available Champions League berth, AC Milan are third after drubbing Juventus 3-0 on Saturday, when Lazio beat Udinese 3-1.

The only goal from Udinese came from league top striker Antonio Di Natale, who with 29 goals left behind Milito, on 22, while Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini and Palermo's Fabrizio Miccoli trail on 19.

Palermo won 2-1 at relegated Atalanta, Bari won 2-0 against Fiorentina, Catania also edged 10-man Genoa 1-0, Cagliari and Bologna drew 1-1 and Parma hammered relegated Livorno 4-1.

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