Relegation-threatened Cagliari beats Udinese 2-1 in Serie A

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MILAN (AP) Inter Milan's chance of a Champions League berth diminished after it drew at Atalanta 0-0 in Serie A on Saturday.

The top four qualify and Inter was fifth, level on points with the two sides immediately above it, Roma and Lazio.

The two capital clubs meet in a derby on Sunday.

''It's two points lost because we had two or three chances to score but we didn't,'' Inter defender Joao Miranda said. ''At this stage of the season we have to win, we don't have to play well, because there are only a few matches left.

''We're not really calm because we haven't won for three or four matches and a team like ours has to win all its matches. Everyone has to do more to score.''

Atalanta is chasing a Europa League spot and it moved three points behind sixth-placed AC Milan, which hosts title hopeful Napoli on Sunday.

Inter struggled in Bergamo as Atalanta had the better of the chances in the first half.

The 19-year-old Musa Barrow was given his first Serie A start by Atalanta and he went close on three occasions, seeing two efforts saved by Samir Handanovic and sending another narrowly wide.

''He was good,'' Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said. ''He had a good debut, it wasn't easy against Inter's center halves. It's a name to note. He scored so many goals for the youth team and today he showed he has a keen eye for the goal.''

There were fewer chances after the break, and Inter failed to score for a third successive match.

RELEGATION FIGHT

In the fight to avoid relegation, Cagliari came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1 and inch further away from the bottom three.

Luca Ceppitelli headed home a corner, six minutes from time, to help Cagliari move five points clear of 18th-placed Crotone, which lost at Genoa 1-0.

Udinese got off to a great start as Antonin Barak dribbled from inside his own half before rolling across the penalty area for an unmarked Kevin Lasagna to fire under the bar.

Cagliari leveled when Luca Cigarini's free kick came off the left post and Leonardo Pavoletti headed in the rebound.

Udinese's ninth successive defeat left it six points above the drop zone.

In Genoa, Daniel Bessa scored the only goal in the 28th minute when he was left unmarked to head in Iuri Medeiros' cross.

Medeiros thought he won a penalty earlier but it was revoked on video review and the Portuguese forward was booked for simulation.

Chievo Verona moved three points clear of the relegation zone by drawing with Torino 0-0.

Chievo defender Mattia Bani was sent off late on for a dangerous tackle.

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