Roma pummel Palermo
Ivan Perisic's maiden goal for Inter Milan in a 1-1 draw at Sampdoria sent the Nerazzurri back on top of Serie A on Sunday, as Roma continued their early season push with a convincing 4-2 win away to Palermo.
With five opening wins, Roberto Mancini's Inter side had been the early season pacesetters -- until a 4-1 humbling by Fiorentina last week sent La Viola on top thanks to superior goal difference.
In a hotly-contested encounter at the Luigi Ferraris stadium, Luis Muriel slid in at the back post to meet Pedro Pereira's inswinging cross and beat goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in the 51t minute.
However, Sampdoria's defence went walkabout in the 75th minute and Perisic finished off a fine attacking move to level for the visitors.
The draw saw the Nerazzurri go top of the pile.
Fellow scudetto hopefuls Roma moved up to provisional third place at two points behind Inter with a comprehensive 4-2 win away to Palermo.
Roma travelled to Sicily without Edin Dzeko and Francesco Totti, who are both sidelined with injuries for the next three weeks.
Just two minutes into the game Miralem Pjanic put Roma ahead after latching on to Alessandro Florenzi's through ball to beat Stefano Sorrentino from close range.
Florenzi doubled Roma's lead 12 minutes later with a clinical strike after the ball fell kindly inside the area, and Gervinho confirmed his recent return to form with a superb strike on 28 minutes to put the match beyond reach.
Palermo reduced arrears twice, through Alberto Gilardino on the hour and Gonzalez on the stroke of full time, but Gervinho put the game beyond them with another strike.
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