Roma slump again as Inter, Genoa launch Euro charge

Roma's Serie A title hopes were kept in check by a scoreless draw at home to basement side Parma on Sunday as Genoa and Inter Milan hit nine goals between them to boost their chances of European football next season.
Roma ended a run of four consecutive draws with a precious 2-1 away to Cagliari last week to close to within seven points of leaders and champions Juventus.
But after a thrilling encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, Rudi Garcia's men are six points adrift and now in danger of falling nine behind the Bianconeri, who travel to Cesena in Sunday's late match.
Roma's poor run of late had forced Garcia to play down their title hopes, but the Frenchman hit out at his players when he told Sky Sport: "If we have any ambitions, we should be winning and not having to settle for a result like this.
"We only hit the target with four of our 20 shots. We're not going to score goals like that."
Garcia had several injury concerns, meaning Ashley Cole stepped in for Jose Holebas at left-back, although Daniele De Rossi was welcomed back to defensive midfield duties.
With captain Francesco Totti still flu-hit, Seydou Doumbia made his debut alongside Ivory Coast compatriot Gervinho at the centre of a three-pronged attack with Adem Ljajic, the Africans thrown straight into the mix after their recent triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Parma are on the brink of going into administration -- the issue of unpaid wages could decide the club's future on Monday -- but if there was fear among Roberto Donadoni's men, they kept it well hidden.
Parma frustrated Roma throughout, especially in an entertaining second half when teenager Daniele Verde, who scored his maiden Roma goal last week, replaced De Rossi on the hour mark and produced another lively performance which opened up space for midfielders Radja Nainggolan and Alessandro Florenzi.
Cole set up both Gervinho and Nainggolan in quick succession, but the Ivorian's shot was straight at Antonio Mirante and the Belgian's low drive flashed inches wide of Mirante's upright.
But despite the visitors being camped in their own half for most of the second period, Roma struggled to find an opening.
Cole had two chances late on to seal the win, the Englishman hitting the upright with Verde's delivery at the back post after Doumbia missed contact. He then volleyed Florenzi's curling delivery from the right flank over the bar in the final minute.
Despite the draw, Cole insists the scudetto fight is open, telling Rai Sport: "Of course the draw wasn't positive, but the championship is long and we will keep on believing until the end."
Genoa, meanwhile, continued to reap the rewards of signing M'Baye Niang on loan from AC Milan with the Frenchman hitting a brace in a 5-2 drubbing of Verona, with veteran Luca Toni hitting a brace for the visitors.
It was Genoa's second win on the trot following a seven-game winless streak and saw Gian Piero Gasperini's men up to seventh, 18 points behind Juventus and seven behind Napoli, who remain third after Saturday's shock 3-1 loss to Palermo.
Gasperini said of Niang: "I know him really well and I think our style of game will allow him to show what he is capable of."
Inter's 3-0 win over Palermo last week ended a three-game winless run and seemed to open up the floodgates for Roberto Mancini's men, who grabbed a precious 4-1 win away to Atalanta with Fredy Guarin hitting a brace to claim his third goal in two games.
"He's a great midfielder," Mancini said of Colombian Guarin. "Hopefully after what has been a difficult period he is back on the right path."
The Nerazzurri moved up to 10th place, 21 points behind Juventus but two ahead of city rivals AC Milan, who were whistled off the pitch at the San Siro after a 1-1 draw with struggling Empoli.
Elsewhere, Antonio Candreva's first-half penalty secured the points for Lazio in a 1-0 win away to Udinese while Omar El Kaddouri secured a share of the spoils for hosts Torino in a 1-1 draw with Cagliari, who saw Ghanaian Godfred Donsah open the scoring on 34 minutes.
Source: AFP