ROME - Inter Milan earned a crucial three points for their title charge after defeating second place Juventus 1-0 in the legendary “Derby d’Italia.” The match at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza was a fight for first place – if Juventus won they would move to the top of the table by two points, if Inter won they would consolidate their lead by four points with a game in hand.

 The first twenty minutes of the match saw Juventus struggle to get past Inter’s press, with the Milanese team having three quarters of the total possession. In first twenty-five minutes, Inter made several attempts on goal with Federico Dimarco just hitting the outside netting and Marcus Thuram’s attack being blocked at the last second by Gleison Bremer.

 However, at the half hour mark Juventus managed to break through and make an attempt at goal. Dusan Vlahovic, one of the team’s star strikers, received the ball in the left channel, but failed to control it.

 Six minutes later, the breakthrough Inter had been waiting for came. Federico Gatti scored an own goal in the 37^th minute, the only goal of the match, to allow Inter to pull away at the top of the table. Barella crossed the ball in from the right, which Pavard tried to scissor kick in but missed due to the awkward angle. The ball then bounced and Thuram attempted to head it in. Instead, the ball deflected off Gatti’s chest, finding the back of the net.

 Inter dominated the match and were unlucky not to score more, with Çalhanoğlu’s strike glancing off the post and Szczesny making two big saves against Barella and Arnautovic.

 In the last 20 minutes of the match, Juventus failed to make any meaningful attempts at goal, resigning themselves to be defeated by their main rivals.

 Elsewhere in the league, Napoli beat Verona 2-1 after Kvaratskhelia scored a later winner in the 87^th minute. Although Verona initially pulled ahead in the 72^nd minute, thanks to a goal headed in by Diego Coppola, their spirits were dampened seven minutes later after Pawel Dawidowicz scored an own goal in the 79^th minute, as he attempted to block a strike from Ngogne.

 Kvaratskhelia sealed the victory for the Blues at the Maradona Stadium with a stunning strike from 25 yards out. This marks the Georgian’s first goal since December, returning to form after a one-match suspension.

 The match saw struggling Verona fall to 18^th in the standings, meaning the team is in the relegation zone. Napoli rose above Lazio and Fiorentina to seventh place, now tied with sixth place Roma on 35 points.

 Atalanta also defeated Lazio 3-1 at home. Mario Pasalic opened scoring in the 16^th minute, followed by a penalty from Charles De Ketelaere in the 43^rd to double the Bergamo team’s lead by half time. De Ketelaere scored again in the 76^th minute, securing a brace.  Lazio’s only consolation came in the form of Ciro Immobile’s penalty in the 84^th minute, however it was not enough, as Lazio sink to 9^th place in the league.  

 Meanwhile, in Serie A Femminile, defending champions Roma extended their lead by eight points after a 3-1 victory over second place Juventus.