Radja keeps roaring for Roma

MILAN - Radja Nainggolan reinforced his reputation as one of the best midfielders in Europe with two stunning goals in Roma's 3-1 Serie A win at Inter Milan on Sunday.

The Belgian's brace took his tally to five goals in his last four league matches.

Mauro Icardi pulled one back for Inter, but a Diego Perotti penalty secured the victory, which keeps alive Roma's faint hopes of catching leader Juventus, which it trails by seven points.

Roma moved five points above third-place Napoli, which lost 2-0 to fourth-place Atalanta on Saturday.

Roma now faces a difficult week, hosting Napoli on Saturday, three days after the first leg of its Italian Cup semifinal against city rival Lazio.

"We're showing we deserve our position," Nainggolan said. "We played against a top team, in a stadium where it is difficult to win but the three points are deserved. Juventus continues to win but we continue to believe, and at least we've opened up a little gap over Napoli.

"I'm scoring goals but I am just one player. Without the team behind me I would not be performing like this."

In an end-to-end match at San Siro, Nainggolan gave Roma the lead with a 12th-minute curler.

Inter was upset a foul wasn't called against Nainggoland for a push before he ran from the halfway line and unleashed an edge-of-area strike for Roma's second.

Inter pulled one back nine minutes from time when Ivan Perisic rolled across the area and Icardi slid in his 16th league goal of the season.

However, any hopes Inter had of snatching a point vanished moments later when Gary Medel tripped Edin Dzeko and Perotti stroked the resulting penalty home.

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was unequivocal.

"If we'd passed the ball around for 10 seconds more on some occasions, we would have destroyed them," he said.

Inter coach Stefan Pioli was frustrated by the loss.

"This defeat is a setback we didn't want," he said.

"We knew our opponent was strong, but we should have stepped up our performance.

"We had chances but they were more clinical than us. They have a lot of qualities."

Earlier, a controversially converted Carlos Bacca penalty gave AC Milan a 1-0 win at Sassuolo.

The host was furious that the goal stood, arguing it should have been disallowed because the Colombian forward touched the ball twice as he took the spot-kick.

"Too many decisions went against my team," said Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco.

"You need to be competent to do certain jobs. If I do mine badly, I get sent packing."

Milan coach Vincenzo Montella said his side was due a lucky break.

"There were too many borderline incidents today and some were in our favor, but then again they can't always go against us," he said.

Ap-Reuters